OLYMPICS/ Spotlight
Trainspotting: Beijing cleans up its act
By Lei Lei (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-08-17 11:54
During a four-day experiment this weekend aimed at improving air quality and traffic congestion in Beijing, more buses will trawl the city's streets and the subway system will be open one hour longer each day.
From August 17 to 20, about 1.3 million vehicles -- nearly half of the 3 million registered in the city -- will be ordered off the roads as part of a pre-Olympics test, as previously announced by the city's environmental and traffic authorities.
Cars will be divided according to their license plate numbers, with odd and even numbers not allowed to share the road on the same days.
Bus timetables will be bumped up to shorten waiting times, with 722 buses will be added each day for the regular routes getting better coverage.
Subway lines No 1 and 2 and Line Batong will also extend their train operations by one hour.
According to the Beijing Public Transit Corp, the added buses will increase the city's transport capacity by 7-15 percent, enabling it to carry 1.6 million more passengers a day.
The subway will be able to carry an extra 200,000-300,000 people a day.
The subway corporation has also decided to lengthen its peak hours from 90 minutes each morning and evening to two and a half hours.
Three groups of substitute trains will be on standby in the event of a shortage.
During the test events, which are running at several Olympic venues across Beijing from this month, 10 temporary public transit lines have been added for spectators to watch the competitions.
The lines cover nearly all the main test event venues including the Olympic Central area, Wukesong Cultural and Sports Center, and Shunyi Olympic Rowing and Canoeing Park.
The first bus will arrive at each of the venues three hours before the first match of the day begins, with the last one leaving one hour after end of play.
Over 200 buses and cars are being provided for the athletes, coaches and officials.
A transit service guide has been penned and handed out to passengers by the Beijing Transportation Bureau to keep spectators, officials and volunteers updated on the new changes.
Meanwhile, over 300 taxis have been stationed at the five main Olympic venues to respond to emergency calls from athletes, officials and other staff.
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