Shanghai to ban bikes

Shanghai to ban bikes
The Chinese city of Shanghai intends on banning bicycles from all major roads next year, as part of its strategy to reduce traffic congestion, according to reports in the Shanghai Daily and BBC Online. Although the bicycle has been an important part of Chinese transport for the past 100 years, the country's growing wealth and car industry have seemingly changed perceptions, especially among the decision makers. In January 2004, the city's authorities banned bikes from the centre of the city, and now they want to extend that even further.

On the other hand, officials have also announced plans to build a network of bicycle paths in the centre of the city, but the details of this remain unclear and the paths could take several years to build. Nearly half of the city's 20 million residents own bicycles, while the number of cars owned is expected to reach 200,000 this year.

Shanghai is expected to impose high registration fees for cars and also restrict access to the centre of the city, but cyclists believe that they are getting the short end of the stick. "The way things are now, with cars, bikes and pedestrians all competing desperately for space, it's complete chaos," a Shanghai resident told BBC Online.

Others are of the opinion that the new rules, which include a tenfold increase in traffic fines, will be treated in much the same as the existing traffic rules are by Shanghai's cyclists: largely ignored.