Islanders find their city link is fast but not cheap
By Zha Minjie |
October 27, 2011, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
CITY island residents are now enjoying a faster route to downtown - but not a cheaper one.
Two years since the opening of the Changjiang Tunnel-Bridge - which connects downtown areas of the city with Chongming Island and two other islands - island residents are faced with high transport costs.
Cars are charged 50 yuan each time they use the 25.5-kilometer-long tunnel and bridge. Fares for trucks are higher.
"To many private car owners on the island, that's a lot of money for commuting," said an islander, surnamed Gong.
Gong said high fuel costs are a further burden to drivers. All told, a round-trip can cost a driver in the region of 200 yuan (US$31).
But on the other hand, Gong said friends and family members are becoming more and more reliant on the bridge-tunnel, which ended dependence on ferries when it opened in October 2009.
City lawmakers also suggested, in a report released this week, that tolls be lowered to boost the economy.
"We understand that it's right that project investors collect the tolls and do maintenance work," said the report.
"But it does not mean the fares are reasonable," it added.
In total, more than 47,000 vehicles registered in Chongming are thought to use the bridge-tunnel now.
Chongming taxis and buses are exempt from tolls.
Toll fees are soon expected to exceed 7.1 million yuan a year.
City islands Chongming, Changxing and Hengsha were once dependent on ferry services, which were at the mercy of the weather.
Road traffic is now replacing ferries as the islanders' first choice of transport.
However, some private car owners still take the car-ferry to save fuel cost depending on the destinations.
To transporters the bridge-tunnel provides many advantages - despite high fares - compared with relying on ferries.
While tolls for trucks are 145 yuan, transporters would pay much more for ferry services, which set the prices they charge according to their weight of freight.
Two years since the opening of the Changjiang Tunnel-Bridge - which connects downtown areas of the city with Chongming Island and two other islands - island residents are faced with high transport costs.
Cars are charged 50 yuan each time they use the 25.5-kilometer-long tunnel and bridge. Fares for trucks are higher.
"To many private car owners on the island, that's a lot of money for commuting," said an islander, surnamed Gong.
Gong said high fuel costs are a further burden to drivers. All told, a round-trip can cost a driver in the region of 200 yuan (US$31).
But on the other hand, Gong said friends and family members are becoming more and more reliant on the bridge-tunnel, which ended dependence on ferries when it opened in October 2009.
City lawmakers also suggested, in a report released this week, that tolls be lowered to boost the economy.
"We understand that it's right that project investors collect the tolls and do maintenance work," said the report.
"But it does not mean the fares are reasonable," it added.
In total, more than 47,000 vehicles registered in Chongming are thought to use the bridge-tunnel now.
Chongming taxis and buses are exempt from tolls.
Toll fees are soon expected to exceed 7.1 million yuan a year.
City islands Chongming, Changxing and Hengsha were once dependent on ferry services, which were at the mercy of the weather.
Road traffic is now replacing ferries as the islanders' first choice of transport.
However, some private car owners still take the car-ferry to save fuel cost depending on the destinations.
To transporters the bridge-tunnel provides many advantages - despite high fares - compared with relying on ferries.
While tolls for trucks are 145 yuan, transporters would pay much more for ferry services, which set the prices they charge according to their weight of freight.
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