A final decision on the reduction of subway ticket fares in
Beijing is likely to be made within this month, according to the
Beijing Municipal Development and Reform Commission.
The proposed reduction is to encourage more people to use the
metro system.
"We will study all the proposals to the government as soon as
possible and try to come to a decision within this month," Chai
Xiaozhong, deputy director of the commission, said
Current subway ticket prices are higher than that for buses, and
this is driving commuters away, Liu Tongliang, head of Beijing
municipal transportation administration bureau, said.
"The metro system should play a major role in solving traffic
congestion and environmental pollution," he said.
Beijing now has four subway lines and they transport about 1.15
million passengers a day, according to the bureau.
At the hearing, Liu proposed two pricing systems: Lower the
price of a one-way ticket to 2 yuan (25 cents) or adopt a flexible
pricing scheme ranging from 2-4 yuan according to the distance
traveled.
Twenty-five people attended the meeting. They included transport
experts, passengers, representatives from the metro operator and
government officials.
The majority approved the first proposal. But they were also
concerned about overcrowding.
"This is the first hearing I have attended about reducing ticket
prices. I am sure this will attract more people to using the metro
system. But the question is whether or not our subway system can
cope with a large number of passengers?" Xu Guangjian, professor at
Renmin University of China, said.
Xu's concern was shared by Chen Fang from the Beijing Finance
School. He said the subway system was already very crowded during
rush hours.
"Train doors can hardly be closed due to the overcrowding. Under
the new pricing system, more people will use the metro system,
posing great danger to public security," Chen said.
Many at the meeting were also concerned about the tenure of the
new pricing policy as it could cost the government about 1 billion
yuan.
Geng Peishi, from the Beijing Subway Company, said the company
is trying to improve its transportation capacity and ensure
security,
"The solution for Beijing's congestion is not above ground but
underground. I can assure you that the government can afford it.
The price reduction policy should not be of concern in the short
term," Chai said.
(China Daily September 27, 2007)