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Traffic policy needs rethink

(China Daily)
Updated: 2011-01-13 11:05

Guangzhou issued a draft policy on Jan 8 to ease traffic jams. The traffic-easing policy of Guangzhou, which follows Beijing, has more than 30 measures including higher parking fees and restricting the movement of out-of-city vehicles, says an article on Huashang Morning Post. Excerpts:

The plans of Beijing and Guangzhou to ease traffic jams are similar, and include measures such as increasing the cost for car-use and restricting the movement of out-of-city vehicles.

The public has raised doubts over the measures. As expected, the people do not want the authorities to impose higher costs for car-use.

Surprisingly, the public has welcomed the restriction on the movement of out-of-city vehicles in the metropolis. But if every city adopts such measures, it would disrupt inter-city logistics and increase transportation costs. This will ultimately hurt urban people the most.

Owners and drivers of vehicles from outside first-tier cities have almost no voice in traffic planning. City car owners and drivers know that controlling traffic is mostly a local matter. Hence, city residents should be bargaining for lower car-use charges rather than welcoming the restrictions on the movement of vehicles from outside the city.