Beijing unveils four measures to tackle traffic jam ( 2003-09-29 13:45) (people.com) Beijing will soon put out four measures to tackle
the problem of traffic congestion, said Liu Xiaoming on September 27, spokesman
of the traffic committee of the municipal government.
Beijing records 2
milllion cars. [File photo]
| The four
measures include: compile the "Essentials of the Traffic Development of
Beijing"; put great efforts in developing public transportation and raising
traffic efficiency; coordinate construction and administration to ease traffic
pressure; strengthen the management of the traffic industry and road orders, and
foster citizen's awareness of modern transportation.
The "Essentials of the Traffic Development of Beijing" will be a fundamental
document guiding policy makers in planning the city's construction and
management in traffic and service sectors, as well as a guideline harmonizing
actions of different departments.
According to plan, Beijing will establish a cover-all modern public transport
network with fast-speed ground transport and rail traffic as its backbone and
ground regular passenger traffic as its main body. Great efforts will be made in
improving the layout of stations and stops as well as the interchange system
linking bus and subway, so as to provide citizens with fast, convenient and safe
traffic facilities and remarkably raise the proportion of going outs by public
means. Construction will be accelerated for a batch of hubs for both passenger
and cargo transports, to rationally link up different forms of facilities and
thus raise transport efficiency.
Traffic jam in
Beijing. | Regarding rail traffic, Beijing will
complete the Bawangfen-Tongzhou subway line before the end of 2003, the No.5,
No. 4, No.10, No.9 subway lines as well as the Olympic sub-line and the airport
special line before 2008, initially forming the city's rail transport framework
and adding the rail operation mileage to 300 kilometers.
Beijing's total mileage for rail traffic will reach 220 km by 2004; the
planned total mileage for expressway is 890 km, including 625 newly constructed
km by 2004; the plan for high-speed way is 280 km, including 250 newly
constructed km by 2004; a total length of 1,033 km common road will be built or
re-built during 2004.
Adding a license tax for private sedan cars and a "congestion charge" is
among considerations of every big city facing traffic jam, said Liu Xiaoming,
and Beijing is no exception. Beijing is likely to raise its parking charge with
reference to the standards of Shanghai, Nanjing, Guangzhou and other cities.
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