Beijing to take public suggestion in matters of transport price hike.
The Chinese Capital of Beijing will seek public opinion on the issue of price rise for bus and subway fares on July 3, 2014. The residents of the city will be able to give in their inputs about the price rise from July 3, 2014 to July 20, 2014.
This is the first time that the residents of China are being being allowed to comment on the upcoming price hikes. Any changes in the fares will be based on the suggestions of the people, a public hearing has also been organized for the same purpose.
Beijing had reduced bus ticket fares to as low as 4 Jiao and two Yuan for subway tickets ahead of the Olympics in 2008. The move was taken as a measure to ease traffic congestion in the city. Since then, no changes have been made in the prices.
In recent times, the city’s public transport sector has borne huge losses, also, increasing safety concerns due to the overcrowding of the buses have caused major concerns, due to which this price hike has been considered.
According to figures, in 2013, the buses in Beijing had carried about eight billion passengers which was an increase of 64 percent from 2007.
Even the number of passengers taking the subways has hit 3.2 billion in 2013.
Photo Credits: Wildgreatwall
