Published on 14.08.2012

Building Sustainable Transport Systems in Chinese Cities

China's urban population exceeded its rural population for the first time in 2011. About 350 million new urban residents are expected to migrate to cities over the coming 20 years. Urban development is both a challenge and an opportunity for urban transport.

A challenge, as current trends are unsustainable both at local and national level.

Locally, the rapid growth in car ownership has enabled greater personal mobility for many but has also brought traffic congestion, accidents, and air pollution. Slow and congested transport systems are beginning to stifle the efficiency of the urban economy. The construction of new roads to accommodate traffic leads to urban sprawl and accelerated traffic growth and hampers the mobility of those who do not own a car.

Full article at Worldbank.org