$78m fuel consumption cut for Universiade

Updated: 2011-07-27 11:28

By Yan Weijue (chinadaily.com.cn)

Aiming at a 30 percent drop in traffic flow as a result of a freewill traffic plan promoting green commuting during the Shenzhen Universiade, the city is expected to cut fuel costs by 500 million yuan ($78 million) with 51,000 tons of oil consumption saved.

The environment-friendly traffic plan calls for car owners in Shenzhen to reduce car usage from Aug 4 to 24, in a bid to cut carbon emissions and thus create a green environment for the Universiade, which will be held from Aug 12 to 23.

As of Tuesday, over 10,000 car owners had volunteered to stop using their vehicles.

There are approximately 2 million cars in Shenzhen currently.

About Shenzhen

Shenzhen is located at the southern tip of the Chinese mainland on the eastern bank of the mouth of the Pearl River and neighbors Hong Kong.

The brainchild of Deng Xiaoping, the country's first special economic zone was established here by the Chinese Government in 1980. It has been a touchstone for China's reform and opening-up policy since then.