THE Longhua experimental tramline will be put into operation in April next year after a trial operation, according to an announcement at a public hearing Wednesday.

    At least 260,000 residents living in northern Longhua New Area will benefit from the tramline, the first in the city. As a key project in Longhua, the tramline will go through the government service hall, major industrial parks, major enterprises, commercial areas, residential quarters and school areas.

    The government will adopt a flat fare system for the 11.72-kilometer project, which will include a main line of 8.59 kilometers serving 15 stations between Qinghu Station and Xinlan Station of Shenzhen Metro’s Longhua Line and a spur line, which will have five stations and run 3.13 kilometers along Huanguan Road South. The main line and the spur line will intersect at Dahe Station.

    The tramline will have three routes — two going from Qinghu Station on Metro Line 4 to Xinlan Station and Xiawei Station and one going from Xinlan Station to Xiawei Station.

    According to the pricing proposals, tram tickets would cost 2 yuan (US$0.29), 2.5 yuan and 3 yuan, and each passenger would only have to buy one ticket for the whole journey.

    The authorities estimated that compared to the 2 yuan per trip fare, the other two fares will cause losses of 550,000 2.85 million riders a year.

    The tramline is estimated to handle about 32 million passengers a year.

    At Wednesday’s hearing, representatives expressed hope that the government would adopt the 2-yuan-per-ride plan to encourage residents to commute by public transit. In Chinese cities, tramlines generally cover around 15 kilometers, and most of them adopt a flat fare of 2 yuan per trip. The fare should be no higher than the starting price of Metro service, and equivalent to or slightly higher than bus service, representatives said.

    Longhua has planned three tramlines totaling 51 kilometers for the new area.

    Line 1 runs from the Foxconn Plant in Guanlan to Baishilong Station of Metro Line 4. It runs 22.3 kilometers and has 30 stations.

    Line 2 runs 14.6 kilometers between Zhangge and Songyuanxia Park and has 19 stations. The 14.1-kilometer Line 3, which also has 19 stations, runs from Dalang Fashion Innovative City to Banxuegang. (Han Ximin)