Beijing will continue to expand public transport as a priority during the 11th Five-year Program (2006-2010).

Information from the municipal commission of communications said Beijing will refurbish 4,615 old buses now in service and add 5,000 new ones, bringing the total number of public buses in service to 24,000 by2010, with air-conditioned public buses making up more than 63 percent of the total.

In the meantime, 324 old subway train cars will be replaced with new ones and the fleet of subway cars will be increased by 84 new ones, said the sources.

More investments will be made in the transport sector in the years to come, and investment in public transport and in the overall transport infrastructure will be raised from 35 percent to 50 percent.

Greater efforts will be made in improving the road network, developing rail transport and large-capacity public transport. The total mileage of roads for public transport in Beijing will amount to 300 km by the year 2010.

By 2008, the carrying efficiency of roads at rush hours in Beijing will be improved by 40 percent from last year's level.

The city will also spend 5.16 billion yuan (about 637 million U.S. dollars) to improve transport infrastructure in its rural areas this year.

Public bus service will be extended to all rural villages in the suburban areas of Beijing in three years, the source said.

Source: Xinhua