Han Ximin

    ximhan@126.com

    THE number of cars registered in Shenzhen hit a new record of 3 million yesterday, ranking third in China following Beijing and Chengdu, posing a grim challenge to decision-makers for relieving congestion.

    In terms of density, the city ranks No. 1 in China with 480 vehicles per kilometer, much higher than the international level of 270 vehicles per kilometer.

    At Xili’s Vehicle Registration and Administration Office of Shenzhen Traffic Police, a driver surnamed Wu, who has worked in the city for 17 years, became the 3 millionth driver after he got license plate number BS68V6 for his BMW525.

    “I am lucky to witness this milestone event as the owner of the 3 millionth car. But I really hope the growth of vehicles slows down because more cars mean more congestion,” said Wu.

    The number of vehicles in the city kept at an increase of more than 15 percent year-on-year over the past few years. In February 2012, the number of vehicles hit 2 million, and in September 2013, the number increased to 2.5 million. It took less than a year for the number of cars to increase by half a million.

    The decrease in the costs of buying and keeping a vehicle in recent years is one reason for the increase, police said.

    In contrast, city’s road supply didn’t increase as expected. The total road length in Shenzhen now is 6,256 km, including 357 km of expressways, far shorter than the length of roads in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. The city is also facing a serious shortage of parking lots, which can only provide 1 million parking places.

    (Continued on P3)

    Traffic congestion, which hinders social and economic development, has been a headache for the city.

    A recent report showed that Shenzhen ranked No.6 among major Chinese cities in congestion between April and June.

    The city’s trunk roads, including Nigang, Beihuan, Binhe and Binhai, are often congested during rush hour and non-peak hours. At Meilin Checkpoint, the congestion often lasts about 2 hours, though the city’s government is working out different measures to relieve congestion, including opening the Xincai Tunnel Passage.

    On roads like Beihuan, a minor traffic accident or a rain shower during rush hour can paralyze traffic.

    Vehicle emissions have become a major source of air pollution in the city. The PM2.5 and nitrogen oxide from cars accounts for 31 percent and 60 percent of the total pollutants in the air, respectively.

    A survey conducted by www.sznews.com showed 45 percent of 1,000 respondents were unconcerned about the milestone event while 42.52 percent felt worried about the fast car increase.

    The majority of respondents, 92.9 percent, believe the city will become more and more congested and only 17 percent believe congestion problems can be solved. In the coming year, 57.43 percent of respondents said they planned to buy a car, and 63 percent suggested more development of public transportation would solve the congestion issues.