Beijing transport authorities are to phase out 2,500 buses which
fail to meet emissions standards and buy 2,810 environment-friendly
vehicles this year.
Eighty percent, of 2,350, of the public transport vehicles to be
purchased by the city this year will be buses with diesel engines
that have achieved the European IV standard for emissions, and 160
will be trolleybuses.
The city would buy another 300 buses which run on compressed
natural gas, bringing their total number to 4,000, said Feng
Xingfu, deputy general manager of Beijing Public Transport Holdings
Ltd.
"Compared with the European III standard, European IV has cut
particle emissions by a further 80 percent. European IV buses will
have more engine power and improved fuel efficiency." said
Feng.
"Beijing is in fact keeping in pace with European countries," he
added.
Vehicle emissions are a major source of pollution in the Chinese
capital. The municipal government has announced it will renew
public transport vehicles that fail environment standards before
the 2008 Olympic Games.
The public transport company has upgraded 11,000 buses since
2004, or 60 percent of the total. The number of renewed buses is
expected to reach 20,000.
The design of the new vehicles will be more passenger-oriented.
For example, the buses will be lower and more accessible to the
elderly, and handrails will be more convenient for passengers, Feng
said.
(Xinhua News Agency April 19, 2007)
