Fewer people in cars, too many on the subway
- By Cam MacMurchy
- Published July 20, 2008
- News
- Unrated
BEIJING - Vehicle restrictions were instituted on Sunday in Beijing to reduce traffic, congestion, and pollution, but its had some unintended consequences. So many people rushed to board subway line 2, that it had to be shut down for parts of Monday's rush. This is from the Guardian:
Passengers were being allowed off Line 2, which runs in a loop around central Beijing, but not on to it. At least one major transfer station, at Jianguomen, was closed.
"There is a big crush of passengers. We've had to close the
line for safety reasons," said a subway worker, standing in front
of locked gates at the Fuxingmen station, a transfer point for
Line 1.
The subway company was not immediately available for comment.
We've noted earlier that the Beijing Railway Station stop along Line 2 has been closed for sometime already, which has caused traffic chaos at times in that area. It seems as expansive as Beijing's subway line continues to grow (and three new lines, including the airport line, opened last weekend), it seems to struggle under the weight of the demand for services.
In an unrelated story, the Shanghai Daily has reported that a station along Beijing's Batong Subway Line was closed due to a bomb scare on Sunday.
We've noted earlier that the Beijing Railway Station stop along Line 2 has been closed for sometime already, which has caused traffic chaos at times in that area. It seems as expansive as Beijing's subway line continues to grow (and three new lines, including the airport line, opened last weekend), it seems to struggle under the weight of the demand for services.
In an unrelated story, the Shanghai Daily has reported that a station along Beijing's Batong Subway Line was closed due to a bomb scare on Sunday.
Previously on Zhongnanhai:
