Warp factor growth

Authorities in Shenzhen, the Chinese city abutting Hong Kong which is growing at close to warp speed, have taken the first step toward introducing a scheme to charge motorists for using downtown roads during peak hours. The move is being made in a bid to ease the metropolis's worsening traffic situation. According to the Shenzhen transportation bureau, the number of cars on the city's roads has been increasing by an average of 15%/year, with the total reaching one million in March. Officials reaffirmed the effectiveness of a road-pricing scheme after studying a similar system in Singapore and consulting with experts from the city-state last month. "We have just completed the first step. There is no timetable for the launch of the system and we will solicit feedback from local residents," an official surnamed Che at the government body responsible for handling traffic-related issues told a recent issue of China Daily. In an unusual move official media quoted a survey by the news website www.people.com.cn that found half of the 84,490 people polled supported the scheme, with 44% of respondents against it on grounds of cost.