Edward Mills

New traffic rules a good start but we'll need more

By Edward Mills (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-12-29 07:57

Everyone who lives in Beijing is acutely aware of the traffic situation. The clogging of the roads has been a consistently growing problem, with a minor reprieve granted by the measures enacted around the Olympics. Since then, the significantly increasing number of vehicles within Beijing has caused numerous headaches for commuters and tourists alike.

The capital's traffic woes are well documented worldwide. Many of the more horrendous jams - such as the 120-kilometer tailback on the Beijing-Tibet highway - brought the issue to the attention of the world.

Seen from within Beijing, however, the peak hours of travel are quite simply a nightmare, with even those who stay in the office longer to try to avoid the problems caught up in it when they eventually leave, especially on a Friday.

The municipal authorities, having considered a multitude of options, have finally released a plan, which includes a number of policies that are expected to help ease congestion.

Just under 15 percent of the capital's car ownership is comprised of government vehicles. The plan proposes to halt new government cars for the next five years.

The car control measures around the Olympics will be considered for use, alongside the possibility of a congestion charge similar to what they have in many major cities around the world.

In order to try to discourage car owners from using their vehicles, the new subway construction will be advanced more quickly, while the frequency of trains should be increased in the meantime, according to the ideas contained in the plan.

More bus lanes, parking at subway stations, even underground sections on the Second Ring Road are suggested, with 37.3 kilometers of five fast lanes to be constructed by the end of 2012.

The draft version of the plan was issued a fortnight ago for public opinion. Before that rumors sparked a car-buying frenzy that saw more than 20,000 vehicles purchased in the first week of December - more than double the same period in the previous year.

Some have remarked that the measures within the proposal are strict, others that they are the toughest yet.

But as someone who regularly avoids traveling around Beijing at peak times on any form of transport when possible, they come across as unlikely to have a great effect on the situation in the capital.

Beijing has more than 4.6 million vehicles on the roads at present. With Beijing Municipal Commission of Transpor suggesting that the city's roads in their current state are able to hold 6.7 million cars at the maximum, it doesn't seem likely many of these measures will see a short-term impact.

Most importantly, people must be persuaded out of the cars and onto other forms of transportation, whether that be subway, bus or even back to the bicycle.

Currently though, public transportation is severely crowded also, leaving little scope for people to abandon their vehicles, even if they wish to.

The plans for the new subway lines and extensions of current ones are impressive, but it's unlikely those lines that might be of particular use in easing congestion will be operational between 2012 and 2015.

There are a number of measures not included that would also help smooth over some of the problems. Many of the main ring roads need proper slip roads because those coming on and off cause significant jams where they are trying to enter and exit in exactly the same place. Active traffic management helped by the monitoring of queues could also aid congestion problems.

And education could also provide a useful aid to keeping traffic moving, with those who disobey the rules and those who lack general common sense, especially in the case of excessive lane-changing, contributing to the gridlock.

Trying to lessen the idea that a private vehicle is the ultimate status symbol could also help if started on younger citizens.

Solving Beijing's traffic problems is not an easy task. One hopes these measures are just the start.