Jiao Yang, spokesperson for Shanghai Municipal Government, on March 28 released on the Internet the city government’s guidelines for giving priority to the development of public transport. The guidelines, which spell out the major goals and tasks for Shanghai’s public transport development, were discussed and passed at a recent meeting of the city government. Li Wenhui, director of the Shanghai Transport Bureau, answered questions by reporters about the guidelines through the Internet.

I. General information of the city’s public transport

There are 940 bus lines in Shanghai at present. The number of operational buses is about 18,000, including more than 9,500 air-conditioned and high-end buses -- more than a half of the total. Excluding the magnetic-levitation line, there are five Metro lines in the city, whose combined length is about 145 kilometers. There are also 45,000 taxis. The daily passenger volume handled by the city’s public transport system averaged approximately 12.25 million last year, accounting for 25.5 percent of the total traffic, up from 19.6 percent in 2000. Buses and trolley buses transported about 7.48 million passengers on average every day, or 61 percent of the total public transport load. Metro lines handled about 1.8 million passengers every day, accounting for 15 percent. And taxis took 2.96 million passengers every day, accounting for 24 percent. Public transport is a major convenience for people’s daily travel.

II. Background and meaning of priority for development of public transport

The priority for development of the city’s public transport system is a solid step in the implementation of the central government’s strategic decision. Priority will be given to public transport in planning and construction, the allocation of roads and policy-making.

Since the 1990s, the city’s public transport has made notable progress in many aspects, such as planning, construction and management, thanks to the leadership of the incumbent municipal officials during the period and a concerted effort made by all the city’s residents. The public vehicles citizens take every day are becoming more and more comfortable. Transfer between buses, subways and different mass transit is becoming increasingly convenient. Traffic congestion has also improved but the situation is still tough overall, and not so optimistic. According to a survey, the average passing speed on the three west-east arteries and the three north-south arteries in the downtown area was 16.6 kilometers per hour in 2006. The speed on the western north-south artery was only 12 kilometers an hour. Meanwhile, citizens are expecting more from public transport development as Shanghai steps up efforts to build itself into an international metropolis. According to state requirements and taking the city’s status quo and the demand for public transport development into account, it is necessary for the city to develop public transport as a priority in the next period. Its meaning can be clarified in four aspects, namely:

1. Priority for development of the city’s public transport is a significant step in building a harmonious socialist society. Public transport is a daily issue that concerns citizens most closely and directly. Giving priority to the development of public transport can keep improving the operation of public transport, ameliorate public transport services, satisfy local residents’demands for reliable daily travel and alleviate traffic congestion. It will boost the harmony of traffic and the harmony of a society.

2. Priority for development of the city’s public transport will help increase the competitive edge of Shanghai, as an international city. Shanghai still has a gap with developed metropolises in the world in many aspects, including the proportion of the traffic load that public transport shoulders, the service quality and the operational efficiency. To build“four centers”and fulfill the“four leads”task, required by the central government, Shanghai must adhere to the strategy giving priority to the development in public transport. Shanghai must develop a public transport system that can match the city’s size, population and its economic and social development level, sharpening Shanghai’s international competitive edge.

3. Priority for development of the city’s public transport is an important way to build a resource-saving and environmentally friendly society. Shanghai, as a super large, densely populated city, is relatively short of resources and energy. Developing the car as a major vehicle will occupy more land, consume more energy and produce more pollution. It will deteriorate urban land, energy and the environment. The city will use public transport as a strategy to change the city’s developmental pattern, which will effectively reduce energy consumption, save land use and improve the city’s ecology and environment.

4. Priority for development of the city’s public transport is a significant measure to ensure the success of the World Expo 2010 Shanghai. The daily volume of visitors to the World Expo is forecast to average 400,000 to 600,000. And such a situation will last for a half year, making it a must to make use of public transport. The advantages of public transport, such as mass coverage, a big handling capacity and convenience, should also be fully utilized in order to absorb as much traffic as possible.

III. Measures and objectives of the priority for the development of public transport. In compliance with requirement of the State Council and the Shanghai Municipal Government, the Shanghai Development and Reform Commission and the Shanghai Construction and Transportation Committee, teaming with other major municipal agencies, including the Shanghai Transportation Bureau, the Shanghai State Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, the Shanghai Finance Bureau and the Shanghai Audit Office, have set up a task force to do a public transport survey. The task force conducted a one-year survey of the city’s road transport industry from October 2005. Based on the survey results and the current situation of Shanghai as a megacity, the Guidelines make clear the objectives and measures on developing public transport as a priority. 1. Clarifying objectives. By 2010, Shanghai public transport volume will take more than 33 percent of the total traffic. Metro lines will contribute by carrying more than 30 percent of the public transport volume. There will be a bus stop within 500 meters in urban areas and within 300 meters in the downtown area. A trip from any place to another in the downtown area should be completed within one hour. In the suburbs, Metro lines can be reached with one transfer and when travelling from one town to the town center there should be no transfer. 2. Improving facilities. The design, construction, completion and operation of public transport infrastructure are given equal importance. By 2010, the Metro network will stretch 400 kilometres, cover more than 280 stations and be capable of delivering five million passengers a day. During the 11th Five-Year Plan period, 60 public transport hubs will be built and renovated. Five thousand new bus parking spaces will be created. The proportion of buses in operation that reach the National III emission standard will be 35 percent. There should be optimising of connections between the Metro and buses and increasing operational efficiency in order to facilitate transfers and travel. The construction of bus-exclusive lanes should by kept up and the construction of a 15-kilomiter BRT line from Shanghai South Railway Station to Shanghai West Railway Station should be started. 3. Regulating market. Follow the principle that balances the public nature and a market-oriented operation. Adhere to the principle of state control, multiple participation, massive operation and orderly competition. Regulate the market and improve the service quality. Guarantee the interests of employees in the industry to stabilize the team. 4. Making preferential policies. Improve the administrative system for urban transport. Beef up support from policy and finance. Carry out research on the policy of a unified management of bus companies’road maintenance fees, to prepare for the unification of bus ticket prices. Taking both the social effect and business benefits into consideration, scientifically price bus tickets and introduce the transfer preferential policy to more bus lines. Step up efforts to introduce a preferential policy for transfers between buses and Metro. Study the plan to introduce diverse ticket forms, such as daily tickets and weekly tickets. Provide a special discount for senior citizens and students on buses to reducing citizen’s cost in daily travel.

IV. Key work this year

This year is the first year to implement the guidelines of giving priority to the development of the city’s public transport. Following are the key points for this year’s work:

-- draft a three-year plan for the priority of development of the city’s public transport;

-- launch Metro Line 6, the first phase of Line 8 and the first phase of Line 9 on a trial basis, extending the city’s operational Metro network to more than 260 kilometers;

-- introduce a preferential transfer policy on all bus lines within the Inner Ring Road, implement the special preference for senior citizens on buses, study and draft the preferential policy for transfers between Metro and buses and study the and draft the plan to introduce diversified bus tickets;

-- continue to optimize the network of bus lines;

-- speed up development of public transport in the countryside, open rapid bus lines, including lines linking the downtown to suburbs and point-to-point lines, add 25 country bus lines;

-- put 1,750 buses meeting the National III emission standard into use;

-- step up the restructuring of bus companies in remote suburbs;

-- improve the management of school buses and of shuttle buses run by supermarkets;

-- step up the construction of public transport hubs, bus-only lanes and public transport information distribution;

-- hold public transport promotional activities,“A week of urban public transport”and“A day of no private cars.”