China shuns green vehicle
The Chinese fettish for bicycles is ending. While the country's new middle class already prefers cars, a recent government move also indicated the same preference. It cancelled the bicycle registration requirement, a step viewed as de-recognising the two-wheeler as a transportation tool.
Car numbers have risen rapidly in Beijing and environmentalists believe the newly widened boulevards, flyovers and ring roads indicate government's transportation priorities. Bicycle accidents and conversion of bicycle lanes into car lanes and parking spaces are increasingly common. In addition, car prices are reducing. Earlier this year, the government also announced its plan to develop the public transportation system, including buses, subways, taxis, and ferries, in urban areas to fight traffic congestion and pollution.