The Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic GamesAugust 8-24 2008
Related story: Transport services and traffic control running smoothly for the Olympics
Date/Time: 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, July 29
Venue: Main Press Center (MPC)
Sun Weide
Today's conference is on public transportation and traffic service. First, I would like to introduce the guests present at today's press conference. Ms. Wang Li, vice director of Beijing Traffic Management Bureau; Mr. Yu Chunquan, director of BOCOG Transport Department; and Mr. Du Shaozhong, deputy director of Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau. Now I would like to give the floor to Ms. Wang Li.
Wang Li
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, good morning. We now only have 10 days before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. I would like to take this opportunity to share with you the preparations we have done.
Since this year, according to the high requirements of the Olympic Games, we tried to establish a very effective system to manage the traffic. We have introduced the scientific measurement system and a highly efficient traffic service. We tried to create a safe and orderly traffic environment for the Olympic Games.
Because the duration and scope of the traffic control is unprecedented in Beijing, since July 1st, we have introduced a lot of services including changing the plate number for certain families and adding some temporary lanes and parking lanes and issuing some special vehicle passes for those with disability. We tried to solve some of the problems for the local citizens.
On July 20, we have introduced the even & odd vehicle control measures. We have dedicated Olympic Lanes. Since last Monday, we have seen significant improvement of the traffic condition in Beijing. We have seen 78.8% reduction of the traffic jam reports and 47.1% reduction of accident reports. The peak of the traffic load is reduced by 24.7%. We have also seen 50% decrease in minor traffic accident and we have zero report of large accident. We have seen the number of fatality decreased by 120 compared with the same period last year. For more than one week, the local citizens are cooperative with the government.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the Beijing local citizens fro your cooperation. Your support and cooperation has strengthened our confidence. The Olympic Games is approaching and we have established a very good network and highly efficient system to guarantee a high-quality public transportation system. We are confident that we will satisfy the international community, athletes and the tourists from different countries. We are confident to implement all the control measures. We are ready. Thank you.
Sun Weide
Thank you very much, Madam Wang. Now I would like to give the floor to Mr. Yu Chunquan, director of BOCOG Transport Department.
Yu Chunquan
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. According to the division of labor, the Transport Department is responsible for the transportation service for the accredited client group including the member of the Olympic family, athletes and team official, technical officials, accredited media and journalists. The total number is estimated to be 50,000.
According to the relevant provisions of the IOC, international practices and the commitment Beijing made during the bid to host the Olympic Games, accredited client groups will be provided with safe, punctual, reliable and convenient transport services. We have done our job according to the principles of abiding by the practices and adapting uniform standards, respecting individuality and paying attention to the details.
At present, the vehicles that will serve the accredited personnel during the Games are ready. I would like to share with you some of the details. There are in total 7,000 vehicles, among which 3,200 vehicles are used for the members of the Olympic Family and NOCs. Of course, these 7,000 vehicles do not include vehicles used for the venues in the co-host cities. We also have 1,660 vehicles for athletes, technical officials and accredited media. We have 80 vehicles for the transportation of luggage and operations as outlined by the BOCOG Transport Department.We also have 1000 large coaches and more than 1,000 rate card small buses will be provided to sponsors.
These are all according to the rules of IOC. We have recruited 13,000 professional drivers from passenger transport businesses as well as volunteers in Beijing. These drivers will be allocated to more than 50 service vehicle fleets of transport service operating teams serving accredited client groups of BOCOG. All the drivers have service qualifications and they will serve different client groups. These 8 transport service operating teams, as I mentioned, will have 50 service vehicles fleets. We have carried out training programs for all the drivers. I believe they are highly qualified in terms of the skills and professionalism. The standard for transport services has already been made.
The standard includes as follows: vehicle certificate, types of access, vehicle transport operation, parking policies, Olympic Lanes, and planning and setting of road guide signs. Measures for controlling the traffic flow, emergency plans for accident and administrative measures for drivers, traffic safety measure, and etc. We also have plans ready for emergencies.
Since July 20, 2008 until three days after the closure of Paralympic Village on September 20, we have offered services in more than 2 months. But all the rate cards services are available since July 1. All the transport services for the media started on July 7. From IBC and MPC, all the friends of the media can use the shuttle buses since July 8.
The transportation services will cover all the competition venues and the standard training venues in Beijing and non-competition venues such as Olympic Family hotels, Olympic Village, Media Village, MPC (Main Press Center) and IBC (International Broadcast Center). The hotels of International Sports Federations (IFs) VIPs, restaurants and other officially designated places will also be covered by our system.
And BOCOG transport will provide exclusive whole riding transport services for delegations. We offer shuttle buses for athletes, and technical officials and accredited media journalists. During the peak hours, more than 170 shuttle buses routes will be in operation. Since the launch of the rate card project on July 1, transport services during the Olympic Games have been rode out and pick up service was first offered to accredited media at Beijing International Airport on July 7.
On July 8, TM shuttle buses for the media from designated hotels to IBC and MPC was put into operation. And on July 20, the first NOC personnel arrived at the Olympic Village, and the vehicle allocated exclusively for NOC was delivered and put into operation. On July 20, the first vehicle providing exclusive transport services for clients was activated. We have set up a hotline (66691234) for the transport center for the accredited clients.
On July 25, the TM shuttle buses were put into operation. On July 27, athletes shuttle bus began. So the service during the Beijing Olympics was fully initiated. So, the public transportation and the Games transportation services has been put into operation. And we have very smooth operation. Also we have identified some problems, mainly, from certain individual demands from client groups. So based on the overall standards and framework, we would like to offer some tailored products to our clients so as to satisfy needs of different clients. Since July 20, we have more than 1500 vehicles being used everyday and there are more than 3,000 number of runs every day. Thank you very much.
Sun Weide
Thank you, Mr. Yu and Mr. Wang, you can have your questions now and please identify yourself first. Thank you
AFP
There are two aims in reducing the number of the cars on the road. One was traffic congestion and the other is pollution. During the last 7 days, the pollution has been very bad in Beijing, I wonder if Mr. Du Shaozhong would tell us what he feels about that. And would madam Wang Li tell us if there are further plans to reduce the number of cars on the road? Thank you.
Du Shaozhong
Just as you said, from AFP, starting from July 1, we adopted provisional measures during the Games to reduce emission and control motorized vehicles. So starting from July 1, we can see much improvement of the air quality, compared to the same period last year. I already have some explanation on this issue but for the new comers, to repeat what I said a few days ago, starting from July 1, all the pollutants have been reduced by 15% to 20%. We have 25 days of clean air. So two days more than last year at the same period, especially on July 20, after we started the odd and even number policy, we stopped the heavy pollution very much, and we have all the indicators as 25% and even higher percentage of reduction. All these figures demonstrate one point, that is, in general, the pollution has been reduced.
Because when compared with the same period last year, you can see that on average, we have 20% of API, meaning the reduction of pollution has been reduced by 20%. Under the same atmosphere conditions, we can see that very steady transition. So if we have this steady transition, we can have a smoother reduction. And you will not notice the seven figures than those I just gave you. It means that after the adoption of all these measures, we have visible improvement. I have a new figure. Yesterday, it was 96 API, and today, it is 80 to 90 API. These indicators have different backgrounds. Yesterday the wind speed was less than one meter an hour and the temperature was 34 degree centigrade. Today, 3 meter per second, the temperature is 26, and the humidity is 60%. Now it is 70%. So it is very probably reduced. So today it is better than yesterday. Maybe we can have better days in the future.
Wang Li
You just asked me a question. Since the adoption of odd and even number measures, we have better air quality. And we published these measures on behalf of Beijing Municipality. So I can't talk on behalf of them or tell you whether there are further measures.
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