A New Era for Public Transport Development in China

The urbanization and motorization which fueled China’s economic growth since the mid 1980s brought unprecedented demand for land, road space, and other urban infrastructure and services. As China’s cities were being positioned as the new engines of growth, transport development between and within urban areas received high national priority. Government resources at state, provincial, and local levels focused on increasing infrastructure capacity and on expressways in particular, while industrial policy nurtured the nascent automotive industry. Some early policy and investment support was directed at public transport; however, these efforts were not deep enough to address structural weaknesses in management and operations. Thus, transit development lagged behind the growing demand for, and supply of, private modes of transport as China’s economy boomed. As a result, traditional public transport services—mainly large buses—suffered significant rider ship losses in the late 1980s and early 1990s.This article surveys China’s public transport experience over the past decade and a half, as China’s environmental, energy, and economic development objectives have come into sharper focus. While the earlier industrial policy commitment to the “household car” has not been abandoned, there is growing recognition in cities that, even if private vehicle ownership is encouraged, this must be accompanied by prudent policies curtailing auto use. Moreover, the need to develop suitable alternatives to private auto travel motivates renewed interest in raising the efficiency, quality, and quantity of public transport services in urban areas.


- A New Era for Public Transport Development in China