Focus Insights

　　Nowadays, public transport  in Yichang City provides more convenience for citizens due to its wide coverage of road network rather than the limitation within the urban area in the past.

　　"Public Transport Priority" Means "People First"

　　Public transport brings convenience to people. The strategy of " public transport priority " means "passengers first" or "people first."

　　With the development of the city, there are more people and cars, thus urban traffic is facing the surging pressure. Recently, traffic congestion as the most serious "urban disease" has worried the citizens.People are looking forward to improving the public transport.

　　" Public transport priority " is the only way for people to resolve the problem of the urban traffic congestion. It is a crucial way to build the system of  "urban public transport priority ", giving priority to the development of public transport and improving public transport vehicles share rate for people to break through a vicious circle to solve the difficulties for driving and parking. (The vicious circle :" traffic jam brings about the public transport share rate down and increases individual transport travel rate and then causes traffic jam " ) At present, the public transport share rate amounts to 21 percent, it will come to 30 percent during "the Twelfth-Five Plan" period. This figure has reached 50 percent or more in Hong Kong and other developed cities.

　　In fact, the idea of " public transport priority " was originated in Paris, France. While " public transport priority " strategies vary from different countries and places all over the world, such as the rail transport development in Japan, pedestrians priority in New York and the special bus lanes in Britain.

　　The" public transport priority " strategy is a wise decision to take advantage of the geographical characteristics with limited road resources in a narrow city in the foothill area within the two mountains to meet the needs of the people.

　　Building Full Coverage of Public Transport

　　Recently, Yichang is planning to build itself to be a modern mega city with the coverage area of 200 square kilometers and the population of 2,000,000 at the end of the "Twelfth Five-Year Plan" period, with 300 square kilometers and the population of 3,000,000 in 2020. Yichang City Master Planning (2011-2030) ,issued in March, 2013 , made a schedule for bus stations, bus lanes, bus rapid transit, rail transportation and so on . The editing and revision work of Urban Public Transportation Planning is also under the way.

　　According to the plan, five rapid transit lines, three rail transit lines and nine parking & maitaining lots preserved for buses with the area of 21.3 hectares will be constructed as the next step.The first rapid bus line will also begin to build at the end of 2013.

　　Public transport attaches importance to "public" fairness and justness. The bus system with the social function can not only benefit people in the urban city, but also people in the suburbs, in the county or in the countryside. At present, efficient and convenient public transport has been achieved full coverage of the urban areas. Next, the public transport covering the suburbs, the counties and the rural areas will be rapid developed.

　　During the "Twelfth Five-Year Plan" period, with the county government as the center, around 25 km in the range, public transport will take the coverage of more than 45 percent of the locations of the township governments. The township passenger stations and all administrative villages will be fully covered by bus transportation.

　　Going out More Conveniently, Comfortably and Happily

　　Public transport is under reconstruction in urban and rural areas. In the city, anyone can find a bus stop within 500 meters, and 300 meters at the core area in the future. By then, people will find themselves more convenient owing to an efficient and convenient public transportation system.

　　The quality of transport services and information services need to be improved to make public transport more comfortable with full coverage of the public transportation system, such as GPS monitoring and management of public transport vehicles, passenger stations networked ticketing, city bus intelligent scheduling, taxi upgrading and so on.

　　The rapid transit system to be on the construction will be scheduled to be 38 stops with the total length of 23.9 km, across the three main urban areas, which is the main passenger traffic corridor at present. The completion of the rapid transit system will improve effectively the urban landscape and public spaces, the quality of public travel from the human point of view, relieve pressure on urban traffic congestion and improve the city grade through the ways of improving public transport capacity, service levels, integrating pedestrians, bicycles and other green transport modes.

　　The public transport not only brings convenience and benefit to people but also gives a boost to the rapid, round and coordinated development of the economy. Once the lack of the bus system is blame for the staff loss in the area of high-tech industrial park. Building a "urban public transport priority " system is indispensable for Yichang to accelerate the pace of  the construction of a modern mega city.

　　Better City, Better Life. " public transport priority " strategy with "people-oriented" helps people go out fast and conveniently, sharing the beauty of life.