4 new lines for Beijing subway in 2014

Four new subway lines will be put into operation in Beijing in 2014, in the aim of reducing traffic pressure, Beijing Times reported on Friday.

The new lines are Line 6's phase II, Line 7, Line 14 (east section) and Line 15 (west section). The lines will add 62 kilometers to the current 465-km subway network in Beijing.

The municipal government will also invest more on infrastructure to encourage people to ride bicycles or walk when going out.

According to its plan, efforts will be made to ensure there are proper lanes for bike riders or pedestrians to use on 80 urban roads, and will add 5,000 bikes for public rental.

The city will also add 10 km of special lanes for buses this year to improve the efficiency of bus operation and encourage more people to use public transportation.

At present, about 40 percent of passenger volume on Beijing's public transportation system is on the subway system.

Beijing's subway system carried an average of 8.76 million passengers every day in 2013, according to the municipal transport commission. The daily maximum of 11.06 million passengers was set on July 16, 2013.

It is planned for the network to extend to 660 km as of 2016 and 1,100 km in 2020.

The Beijing subway first came into operation in 1969, and has expanded tremendously since 2001, when Beijing won the right to host the 2008 summer Olympic Games. More than 10 lines have been added since then.