Gridlocked in Beijing

(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-12-15 13:36

Editor's Note:
"Life is too short for traffic." -- Dan Bellack, author

Are you sick of getting caught in traffic every day? IBM's first global Commuter Pain study has found Beijing and Mexico City scored 99 out of 100 in the commuter pain index to become the world’s top two cities with the worst traffic jams.

About 20 years ago, owning a car was only a dream to many Chinese. Nowadays, when more people have their own cars, that dream has become a nightmare, especially in Beijing.

The city already has 4.7 million vehicles registered. The local road system, which includes all the planned expansion programs, can support 6.7 million vehicles maximum. Based on the current rate of growth, there will be 7 million vehicles on the road by 2015. Just think about the results?!

Well, the good news is, Beijing has released a draft traffic plan that aims to ease the city's traffic gridlock problem. The draft plan was approved by the State Council, and it will be open for public comments from Dec 13 to 19.

But are there any ways that can relieve or even solve the congestion problem for good? As ordinary citizens, we can all do our part, like choosing public transportation more, and keeping our fingers crossed.

News background

Beijing car plate petition hits 100,000 in 4 days
A new restriction on Beijing's monthly car license has achieved no significant result, at least for now, as the municipal government says more than 100,000 applications have been filed online just four days into the new year.

'240,000 new vehicles right number for city'
According to the new regulations, only 240,000 vehicle licenses will be available in 2011 in an attempt to ease the city's growing traffic gridlock.

Beijing's plan to steer clear of traffic jams

Authorities on Dec 13, 2010 have released a draft plan to ease the capital's traffic gridlock - including a cap on government cars. The plan, posted on the municipal commission of transport's website to gauge public opinion, could see Beijing take measures to ease population pressure in the downtown area and speed up construction of traffic infrastructure. It also advocates boosting public transport and strengthening regulations concerning car use.

Plan accelerates car buying craze
People have been desperate to get their hands on this year's festive "must-have" since the announcement of plans to restrict vehicle purchase and registration in the capital from Jan 1.

Traffic jams in Beijing

Numbers & Facts


Automobile ownership in Beijing stood at 4.7 million, as of Dec 5, and the city has 6.2 million registered drivers.	China's passenger vehicle sales surged to a record high in November. More than 1,280,000 cars, multi-purpose vehicles, sports-utility vehicles and minivans were sold in Nov, up 27 percent from a year earlier and 10.5 percent from Oct. [Full text]

Beijing's 10-year effort in fighting over traffic jam

Six leading causes of Beijing traffic, as summarized by netizens


Large number of cars, and lack of BRT(bus rapid transit) lanes	One-center city planning - people swarm into the center every morning at the same time. (Netizens think it would be better if Beijing had more than one center)	Traffic accidents caused by arrogant and careless drivers

Too many lights	Unfriendly design of overpasses	The subway is way too crowded, so why not use a car if I have one?

Government's efforts

New parking policy

Parking fees	Parking spaces	Public transportation	Bicycles encouraged	Roads	Traffic restrictions
Car parking fees will vary according to location. The cost of parking in the downtown area will be higher than elsewhere in the city. Parking lots on the street level will also be more expensive than in underground facilities. The city will be categorized into three zones according to their levels of traffic congestion.	More than 50,000 parking spaces will be built in downtown Beijing.An additional 200,000 new parking spaces will become available in old residential communities.more than 30,000 parking spaces will be opened at subway stations located outside the Fourth Ring Road.	More special lanes will be designated for public transport on main roads. By the end of 2011, the construction of special lanes for express buses will be completed in Fushi Road. Nine transportation hubs will be built. The use of school buses and company shuttle buses is encouraged.	A bicycle sharing system featuring 1,000 sites equipped with more than 50,000 bikes will be completed during the period of the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015). A pilot bicycle sharing program will soon be launched, in which more than 200 sites with 10,000 bikes will open to the public at subway stations along lines No 4, No 5 and Batong.	The city will start to construct tunnels on eastern and western sections of the Second Ring Road in 2011. There will be five fast lanes with an overall length of 37.3 kilometers, due to be completed by the end of 2012. Two hundred kilometers of new roads will be completed in downtown by the end of 2012.	Traffic controls according to the last number of a car's license plate - odd or even - will be used on congested roads during rush hours.The use of modern technology, such as teleconferences, will be promoted for the use of government agencies to help ease traffic congestion.A plan on easing congestion will be drafted and updated each year.

Controlling the number and the use of government cars

The capital has around 700,000 government vehicles, nearly 15 percent of the city's car ownership. One of the plan's major points is that Beijing will prohibit new government cars for the next five years. Controlling the number of government cars is welcome but it is more effective to limit their use.

Boosting public transport

The Beijing Authority's decision to grant only 240,000 license plates in 2011—one third of 2010's total—to ease gridlock shattered many people's dreams of owning a car and propelled more to choose public transportation instead.However, newly-opened subway lines, persistently cheap prices and an improved environment for public transport have made the choice less reluctant.

Related readings:
Beijing boosts public transport

Other cities' experience may help?

Drivers in two thirds of China's 667 cities have to endure rush hour traffic jams with the number of vehicles on the roads now standing at 200 million. Let's take a look at the measures other big cities take to ease traffic gridlock.
Related readings:
A road map to ease traffic gridlock in China
Small, big cities share same traffic woes
Car-sharing will ease Shanghai's traffic problems
Jam-busting service on the road in many cities

Chongqing has decided to build the western municipality into a influential megapolis in five years and its downtown area with smooth traffic, and more rail transport will be built to connect large residential areas along the inner and outer ring roads. An official confirmed that the authorities will consider improving the municipal bus lines in 2011 and prohibit public buses running in the downtown area in three years.

Shanghai has adopted measures to book and limit the granting of license plates for many years. But some car owners have applied for a license from other cities to escape this limit. Besides, Shanghai and Tianjin plan to expand suburb or economic zones near the downtown to ease traffic pressure.


Hong Kong's traffic, known as one of the world’s densest, is also renowned for its orderly pattern thanks to its scientific road designs, advanced public transportation system, effective traffic control measures and self-disciplined residents. A reporter took a one-day tour of major traffic spots to get the real experience of Hong Kong’s traffic situation. [Full text]

China Daily views


Traffic policy needs rethink	Real cost of auto boom

Stevie: Go and study how Singapore electronic toll system works. It is very effective and efficient. Need no police men to control. Variable toll charges, time base, at times it is free. All computerized. Even Odd number is short term solution. Soon people will have two cars. One odd and the other even numbers. One big car for status and one small cheap car for beating the system.

Hans: Developed countries know that this problem can't be solved anymore and with the exploding number of cars in all Chinese cities it will be even worse. I live in Xian where the traffic was no problem 3 years ago, today it is traffic jam everywhere you go and 2 weeks ago I saw 6 accidents on 1 day. Agree with Stevie that Singapore is a good example of how the problem can still be solved. Roads are scarce and for scarce goods you have to pay.

Lao Sichuan: My proposal is to completely close certain areas of the city where many people work (e.g. the CBD) for private cars and taxi, forcing commuters to use public transport. This would cause an outcry by car drivers, but health and environmental protection are more important than the convenience of drivers. At the same time conditions at public transport should be improved. No. 1 issue should be to abolish the safety checks in the subway, giving commuters the feeling that they are welcome to the subway.

New registrations: The health problem should be the number one concern, solved a little by installing catalytic converters and encouraging cleaner cars immediately. Traffic jams can be lessened by spreading the peak period, but the pollution would be the same.

Special Mini Bus: How about Special mini Bus that can run 4 hours in the morning(peak times) and another 4 hours in evening. This provides work to citizens and alleviates the traffic during peak hours.

Greg: Limiting cars to one per household is a good idea. We had the odd-even system in Greece and people just bought a second car so that congestion stayed the same but parking became more difficult, so it's good to remove that problem. Down here in Shenzhen we are having a massive MTR expansion and that will really help.

Singapore: Take a leaf from Singapore and see how the City State manage its traffic. To start with I feel the City Authorities are TOO soft on its traffic. Too hard rules may affect the soft life style of the traffic authorities. Cars going into the city need to pay. Public transport rates maybe TOO low. It does not affect the pocket taking joy rides in trains. Look at the recent Guangchou Asian Games FREE rides. The result train was jam packed! Parking should be one hours only!

Dr Who: My suggestions are: 1. Promote the use of bicycles by having wide, clearly marked dedicated bicycle lanes. 2. Have a scooter/motorcycle lane 3. Dedicated bus lanes. 4. No stopping during rush hour signs (enforced heavily by fines) 5. BETTER DRIVING TRAINING AND EXAMS STRICTER RULES ON VEHICLES

PHOTO

Gridlocked in Beijing

(chinadaily.com.cn) Updated: 2010-12-15 13:36

(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-12-15 13:36