The Guangzhou government has earmarked about 200 billion yuan
(US$25 billion) to help improve city's transport infrastructure in
accordance with the
11th Five-Year Guidelines (2006-10).
Xian Weixiong, head of the municipal communication commission,
said yesterday the budget set for this year is 25.6 billion yuan
(US$3.16 billion).
The city will see facelifts in its airport, ports, railway
stations, expressways, bus and metro services in the coming five
years, he said.
According to Xian, the second phase of the new Guangzhou Baiyun
International Airport will be completed within five years, and will
expand its annual passenger handling capacity to 40 million, and
annual cargo throughput to two million tons.
Also to be completed within that time is the construction of six
50,000-tonnage multi-functional berths.
The first phase of the redevelopment of Guangzhou Port has made
Guangzhou's port cargo throughput surpass 260 million tons
annually.
Measures will also be taken to improve the city's bus and taxi
services by promoting the increased use of liquefied petroleum gas
(LPG) as fuel for vehicles, and improving the layouts of bus stops
and terminals.
Another 20 bus terminals and 305 bus stops will be set up in the
coming five years, and bus routes will be further modified to
better link metro stops.
Xian added that more high-tech systems would be applied to
public transport management.
Also in the plan are nine metro lines to be operational by 2010,
with a total length of more than 200 kilometers. Metro lines under
construction this year total 113.1 kilometers.
Xian added that Guangzhou's monitoring and dispatch system for
buses and taxis was amongst the best in China and the existing
promotion of LPG fuel for public transport vehicles has set a good
example for many other cities to follow.
(China Daily March 2, 2006)