Authorities push congestion fees nationwide, replacing traffic restrictions
Congestion fees will be introduced across China, and limits on vehicle purchases and traffic controls should be seen as temporary and introduced cautiously, according to the national transport authorities.
The Ministry of Transport released Monday a plan for the coming years, which says that to address congestion, cities with more than 5 million permanent residents should see “100 percent bus coverage in the period of the 13th Five- Year Plan ( 2016- 20)” with bus stops every 500 meters in urban areas.
The country’s major cities including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, where limits on vehicle purchases and when people can drive in the inner city are being implemented, were asked by the ministry to mull measures to replace the restrictions, such as better public transport coverage.
Regulations on cars rented via the Internet, including measures to better manage the licensing of franchise operators, cars and drivers, in addition to congestion charges in more cities, will also be launched in the coming years according to the plan.
According to the Beijing transport authorities, the capital city will build more “park and ride” parking lots near subway stations, which they hope will cut the number of cars entering central areas by encouraging more people to leave their cars on the outskirts of the city and travel by public transport.
The capital has promised that by the end of 2017, it will have 90 percent bus coverage in the inner city and there will be a subway station within a kilometer walk everywhere inside the Fifth Ring Road.
Beijing officials announced in May that plans to introduce a congestion charge were being finalized.