[sustran] [sustran] Suggestion welcome : Automobile Use in Chinese Cities

[Jean-Francois Doulet]

Dear all,

As a doctoral student, I have been working for 6 years on urban mobility in 
big Chinese cities. My research focuses on the impact of a rapidly 
increasing motorisation process (13 to 15% a year). Today, I am about to 
finish the writing of my PhD dissertation which highlights the shifting from 
bicycle-based mobility to automobile-based mobility in Beijing.

With about 1.3 million automobile vehicles, the Beijing municipality 
accounts for 10% of the total Chinese domestic fleet. The pressure of an 
increasing number of cars on the streets forces the municipal authorities to 
make drastic choices often at the expense of the stability of the still 
working bicycle-based transport system. The growing influence of a new 
environmental-based policy for better air quality somewhat undermines 
pro-automobile policies. However, the use of cars is facilitated by a 
changing urban structure and automobile friendly road infrastructures.

In order to stay aware of the professional community point of view, I would 
be very pleased to receive some of your comments about the Chinese case 
regarding motorisation process. My question is : Do you think that China has 
missed the opportunity to create an original worldwide experience of a dual 
based transport system (bicycle/automobile)?

Upon request, I would be very happy to send a copy of one of my papers:

- in french :

Doulet, J.-F., "Structure urbaine et mobilite en Chine : l'espace bicyclette 
en question" (Urban Structure and Mobility in China: Bicycle Space at 
Stake), Transports Urbains (Urban Transports), 83 (1994): 17-26. Paper 
quoted in World Bank, Sustainable Transport, Washington D.C.: World Bank, 
1996.

Doulet, J.-F., "Espace urbain, mobilite et developpement de la voiture en 
Chine" (Urban Space, Mobility and Automobile Development in China) in 
Figueroa, O., Godard, X., and Henry, E, eds., Mobilite et politiques de 
transport dans les villes en developpement (Mobility and Transport Policies 
in Developing Cities), Actes INRETS, 55 (1997): 185-197.

Doulet, J.-F., "L'automobile dans la recomposition de l'espace urbain 
chinois" (The Automobile in the Recomposition of Chinese Urban Space), 
Bulletin de l'Association de Geographes Francais (Journal of the Association 
of French Geographers), 1 (1999): 44-58.

- in english:

Doulet, J.-F., "The Urban Challenges of Automobile Development in China", 
FISITA World Automotive Congress 1998, Paris: September 27-October 1, 1998.

Doulet, J.-F., "Suburbia on the Move. Beijing Fast-Tracks Northern Commuter 
Line", China Infrastructure Newsletter, September 1998: 5-6.

- in chinese:

Doulet, J.-F., "Zhongguo Qiche Fazhan Tiaozhan Chengshi" (The Automobile 
Development in China Challenges Cities), Qiche yu Shehui (Automobile and 
Society), October 1998: 12-16.


Best regards,

Jean-Francois

-------------

Jean-Francois Doulet, Lecturer
University of Paris X-Nanterre
Department of Geography and Urban Planning
200 avenue de la Republique
92001 Nanterre Cedex - France
Tel : 33-1-43316179
Fax : 33-1-45653710
Email doulet at u-paris10.fr / jefchina at hotmail.com

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