Overworked traffic wardens face Sisyphus-like challenge

Despite a series of measures taken by authorities in Beijing to ease traffic problems in the capital, wardens are still facing a tough challenge.

And it comes from both drivers and pedestrians.

Pedestrians cross the road despite a visible red light in Taiyuan, Shanxi province. Fan Minda / Xinhua

On a bitterly cold morning last month, traffic warden Zhao Chengzhi watched as a driver ran a red light and ignored his directions at a crossroads near Guanyuan Bridge in Xicheng district.

"It is very hard for me to direct those people who don't listen to you," Zhao said.

He added that some people even shout at wardens who ask them to obey traffic rules and not to run red lights.

His colleague, working on the opposite side of the junction, said more people are beginning to understand their work, but during rush hours they were still being ignored.

Official figures show the capital has more than 7,100 traffic wardens, who play an important role in maintaining order on the roads and in reporting traffic accidents to the police.

The leader of Zhao's team in the Guanyuan Bridge area, who did not want to give his name, said the Beijing Traffic Management Bureau had very detailed requirements for them, and told wardens to be strict when directing traffic. But he said it is not easy when many people do not obey lights, especially migrant workers unfamiliar with traffic rules.