Focus

Cycle of misery on congested roads

By Gao Qihui (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-09-17 07:38

Beijing transport officials have announced plans to actively promote rental services outside selected subway stations along Line 4 and Line 5. Rental points will be set up every 500 meters and, by 2012, it is hoped commuters and tourist will have access to 20,000 bicycles at 1,000 sites.

"We're confident about the future, and that's why we've made an additional investment of 10 million yuan (in the business)," added Bai.

Authorities in Hangzhou, a picturesque tourist destination in Zhejiang province, introduced rental stations in 2008. Anyone aged 16 to 70 has access to up to 50,000 bicycles parked at 2,000 stations across the city - and the ride is free if the bicycle is returned in an hour.

Rental points are found within every 300 meters in the downtown area and have proved so popular that the service attracts an average of 250,000 users a day.

A bicycle rental point near Lama Temple in Beijing. Officials in the capital plan to promote such services and, by 2012, it is expected there will be 1,000 rental stations offering 20,000 bicycles. Feng Yongbin / China Daily