[sustran] Traffic Manangement Plan Beijing - A new approach to urban transport in China?

Cornie Huizenga cornie.huizenga at slocatpartnership.org
Fri Dec 24 14:31:09 JST 2010


Many of you must have seen news items on the new traffic management in
China. For those of you who read Chinese see (
http://zw.bjjtw.gov.cn/hjjtyd/zqyjg/) and
http://www.bjreview.com.cn/quotes/txt/2010-12/23/content_320602.htm. The
Chinese text has more detail than what is being reported in the papers but
does not make reference to the annual quota. What to make of these plans?


   - Compared to the previous plan (
   http://www.ebeijing.gov.cn/Government/Mayor_office/Mayor_bulletin/t929887.htm)
   for the period since 2003 it is a major step forward. The new plan includes
   references to the need for traffic assessments of new urban developments, it
   has a specific emphasis on NMT, and it includes a range of Traffic Demand
   Management. At the same time it includes a whole range of infrastructure
   related measures both in terms of additional road construction and public
   transport (both subway and BRT).
   - The plans for congestion charging are still very vague. It is
   interesting to note that the recommendation for congestion charging in
   Beijing comes after an earlier similar announcement for Chongqing.(
   http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90776/90882/7227422.html) Does
   this mean that the ban is broken for congestion charging in China? This
   could have large implications for urban transport in China and in other
   parts in Asia.
   - One of the more controversial elements of the new plan is the quota of
   240,000 new vehicles per year.
   (ttp://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-12/23/content_11746901.htm)<http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-12/23/content_11746901.htm>
   To put this in perspective. This is 3 times less than the number of new
   cars in Beijing in 2010, BUT still three times more than in Shanghai which
   is registring about 80,000 new vehicles per year.

   - Many of the new measures will not generate clear results in the near
   future, it is likely therefore that traffic in Beijing will continue to be
   faced with average speeds below 20 km per hour in many parts of the city (
   http://eye.bjjt.cn:9091/).  It is also likely that the post of Vice-Mayor
   for transport in Beijing continues to be a risky position. (
   http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/24/world/asia/24beijing.html?ref=global-home
   )


Will we look back later on 2010 and say this was the year that China started
to come to its senses and that a new approach to urban transport was born
which combines restraint in the growth of private vehicles with the
provision of  sustainable alternatives to private motorization or is a
question of too little, too late and not properly thought through.

What strikes me is the continued hesitance to make fuller use of economic
instruments. The measures announced are all local measures and no linkage
with for example national pricing policies on e.g fuel has been made. Also,
what will happen to the tax rebates on the purchase of new vehicles?  The
annual quota will be based on a lottery and not on the basis of a monthly
auction as in the case of Shanghai. Details on the congestion charging are
still very vague.

An important question is whether other Chinese cities will start to
replicate what Beijing is doing, and if so how will they translate the
Beijing measures into their own situation? Will they copy the infrastructure
measures and leave out the Traffic Demand Management?

What is clear is that the policy landscape on urban transport in China is
changing and that this will be an important input into the wider debate on
urban transport in developing countries.


-- 
Cornie Huizenga
Joint Convener
Partnership on Sustainable, Low Carbon Transport
Mobile: +86 13901949332
cornie.huizenga at slocatpartnership.org
www.slocat.net


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