Inteligent transportation system to serve 2008 Games
By Liu Li (China Daily)
Updated: 2004-10-13 00:02

Beijing is stepping up its efforts to develop an intelligent transportation system (ITS) to serve the 2008 Olympic Games.

It is expected that modernization of traffic management in Beijing will be achieved by 2007, according to Quan Yongshen, director of the Beijing Transportation Research Centre, a communications think-tank of the Beijing municipal government.

"I am confident we can provide advanced transportation services to athletes, coaches, officials and visitors during the Games in 2008 through ITS," Quan told China Daily yesterday.

The expert made the remarks Wednesday on the sidelines of the Second Beijing Sino-Euro Urban Development Academic Seminar, which ends today.

The advanced traffic management system to be put into use in 2008 is expected to enhance the efficiency of Beijing's existing road network by at least 20 per cent, according to Quan.

The system will use information technology to monitor the entire road network.

Meanwhile, a comprehensive information platform is also expected to be established.

"A problem existing in the current transport management system is that different authorities have different information systems and lacks mutual communication," he said.

"For example, the Traffic Management Bureau under the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Public Security has a good command of road conditions, but has no information about public transportation, railways and airlines," Quan said.

He called on the local government to break down the barrier among different departments as soon as possible to share transport information.

Quan also pledged to have an advanced public transportation system up and running by 2008, when Beijing hosts the Olympic Games.

The public transportation systems, including the subway and buses, will have a more efficient dispatching system and passengers will have a better access to information.

Beijing is now building more metro lines ahead of the 2008 Games.

It is expected that the total length of metro lines in Beijing will reach 300 kilometres by 2008 from the current 110 kilometres.

Quan believed the ITS is one of the most effective solutions for the rising problems in transportation in Beijing, such as serious traffic jams.

ITS construction in Beijing started in the 1990's, according to Quan.

The Beijing Transportation Operation Headquarters and the Beijing Public Transportation Operation Headquarters were established in 2000.

The efficiency of the dispatching system for taxis was improved in 2002.

The Ministry of Science and Technology has listed Beijing among the 10 Chinese cities for ITS pilot projects.

There has been close co-operation between the Beijing authorities and the European Union in the ITS construction, yesterday's seminar revealed.

According to Huang Xianyao, vice-minister of communications, China is learning a great deal from Europe's experiences in this regard.

Huang yesterday vowed to draft further laws and regulations in the field.

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