Beijing to make up traffic for 2008 Olympics

At a time when Beijing Olympic Games 2008 is approaching nearer and nearer how to release and solve the problem of traffic congestion in Beijing has turned out a hot point of much concern at home and abroad. At the press conference of the 3rd session of the 12th Beijing People's Congress held in 26 January, 2005, persons of department concerned with the Beijing Municipality accepted the interview of the reporter with regard to the problem as mentioned above.

Moderate restriction of cars for giving way to public conveyances

To offer guidance to the use of cars has already been put into the outline for traffic development, said Liu Xiaoming. A policy for differential treatment of traffic supply has to be enforced, namely the fee for car parking in downtown areas has to be made different from other areas so as to make ease the traffic jams in central city. However, in the peripheral areas, especially in new cities spaces for smooth use of cars are going to be provided while in the conjunction areas plans are going to be made for changing the use of means of conveyance.

The "General City Planning of Beijing for 2004 ¨C2020" made public this month puts forward that an administrative policy and measures for effective needs of cars are going to be introduced for offering guidance to regulate the use of cars. As introduced, in the implementation of the city planning in future the government may resort to various means and measures to restrict the use of private cars in some suitable areas or by resorting to a series of measures in the market, legal measures to administer different measures of interference and policies for traffic control in certain areas.

Beijing has to develop its traffic and transportation with the public conveyance as major means so as to make ease the traffic jams in the city, stressed Liu Xiaoming. He also introduced that starting from 2003, Beijing has already worked out a 5-year plan in detail for easing the traffic in urban areas. The data provided by the traffic administration committee indicate, the 2nd phase project of the 16-kilometer-long axial avenue in south city for large volume conveyances will be fully completed this year and 120 kilometers of special lanes for public traffic conveyances will be made to join the fast public traffic system in the city. In addition to the completion and being put into operation of the public traffic hinge at Beijing Zoo last year another public traffic hinge has also been brought to completion at Liuliqiao. Prior to the year of 2008, a great number of branch roads for public transportation will be rearranged and with routes to be altered. And in combination with the construction of Nos. 4, 5 and 10 subways and the feeder line for the Olympic games, 66 public bus stations will be put up for the convenience of passengers to realize their changes.

Set up special traffic lanes for Olympic games, employ intelligent traffic administration and control

Liu Xiaoming said, "we'll learn from the experiences of Athens and Sydney to set up special traffic lanes for Olympic games during the games period and by then there will be special loop lanes and network for the Olympic games." According to the plan and along with the gradual completion of stadiums and gymnasiums for the Olympic games Beijing will start to set up special traffic lanes for the Olympic games in 2007 with special lanes to be set up along the 3rd and 4th ring roads to form a loop. During the period for Olympic games, no other vehicles in exception of the designated ones will be permitted to enter the road.

During the Olympic games Beijing will resort to intelligent traffic administration and control. The system construction for intelligent traffic control in 2008 is under way for planning while the non-barrier vehicles for the handicapped-Olympians are underway for research and manufacture now," said Liu Xiaoming. In addition some 68 roads in the peripheral areas round Olympic stadiums and gymnasiums are being carried out in accordance with the plan.

Use clean energy resources for reducing air pollution

According to Pei Chenghu, we've already reached the Grade-2 criterion for gas emission in Europe last year and this year is going to achieve Grade-3 standard for gas emission in Europe. In addition, the municipal environment protection bureau requires that cleaning agent be added into the gas and for this the Sino-Pec and Sino-Chem have already promised to provide the oil samples.

As introduced the emphasized point for the prevention of air-pollution next year will be to enforce the control over the dusts from city construction sites; efforts will be made to promote the use of clean energy resources to replace the coal-burning facilities; old and worn-out vehicles will be got rid off and replaced by the new in an earnest way; active measures will be taken to promote a smooth adjustment of industrial structure and for a deeper treatment of industrial pollution by stepping up the project for desulfurizing and denitrifying treatment in power plants and continue to carry on the plan for the reduction of the gross amount of industrial pollutants and so on and so forth.

By People's Daily Online