Shanghai will improve road network in its ring roads area to provide more convenience to commuters this year,transportation officials said.

Efforts will include building new roads and broadening existing ones to make increasing bus lines and reducing bus intervals possible,they said.

Officials said dwellers between the city's Out-Ring and Inner-Ring roads accounted for the most of a city population who still can not find convenient public travel means near their homes.

In Shanghai,population in the ring roads area increased faster in recent years with more people moving from central downtown to farer areas.However,a construction of road facilities lagged behind.

Main road systems have been finished by 2000 in the area.However,it's insufficient,officials said.

Many from newly built residences have to walk a long way to the nearest bus stations,while still many others would rather go on foot or by bicycle,complaining about traffic congestions and crowded buses.

In Shanghai,daily commuters totaled some 34 million last year.Among them,70 percent involved long walks or using bicycles.a recent survey conducted by the Shanghai Transportation Planning Research Institute showed.

During the last five years,the city's totaling length of roads increased by 80 percent and the number of buses increased by 35 percent.

(eastday.com March 25, 2002)