City braces for passenger surge |
http://www.sina.com.cn 2005/01/10 11:09 上海英文星报 |
THE 2005 spring transportation plan was initiated January 4, according to the city's transportation bureau. "The special weather" has become a key element in this year's spring transportation emergency counterplan, the Shanghai Youth Daily reported. Spring transportation can be seen as the biggest population movement in the country. According to tradition, people should return home to spend the Spring Festival with their families. Most people will head back to their hometowns during this period. In addition, according to official statistics, a total of 468 million trips will be taken on the city's bus, taxi and metro lines during the period. The daily average comes to 11.7 million trips, 1.7 per cent higher than the figure last year. Meteorologists expect the city to have another warm winter but temperature fluctuations cause problems in planning the correct number of buses. The city's public transportation bureau will utilize 15,800 buses. Additional buses will be arranged for airports and ferry docks. "If there is snow or rain during the Spring Festival, the emergency couterplan will be triggered immediately," an official from the bureau said. Compared with transportation in the city, long-distance transportation will be under much more pressure. About 2.54 million people are expected to travel by long-distance buses from Shanghai, about 8 per cent more than last year. If there is bad weather during the Spring Festival, some buses will change their routes according to the emergency plan. Over 80 per cent of long-distance buses on this occasion are of middle or high standard, providing a more comfortable environment and greater safety than previously. (Star News) |