Views are mixed on high-speed restrictions
Source: Xinhua |
August 12, 2011, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE State Council's decision to slow the operational speeds of China's high-speed railways has received a lukewarm welcome.
The slower train speeds made headlines across the country, but many people expressed mixed feelings about the decision.
Zhou Yiwen, an employee of Hunan Tangel Publishing Co Ltd, wrote on his microblog: "I feel a little relieved and I have faith in the government's measures. I hope it is not too late to fix the problem."
"It is good news, since I would feel safe with a slower train. But I do hope that they can rule out the hazards so that tragedies like this will not happen again," said a Beijing taxi driver surnamed Li, referring to the fatal bullet train collision in Wenzhou last month.
Sun Zhang, a professor at the Railway and Urban Mass Transit Research Institute of Tongji University, said he supported the new policy.
"We should take time to test the high-speed rail system and accumulate more experience, as this will provide an important reference for the future operation of the trains at higher speeds," Sun said.
"It took Japan 47 years to increase the speed of its Shinkansen railway network, going from 210 kilometers per hour in 1964 to 300 kilometers per hour in 2011. It is therefore impressive, yet worrisome, that China managed to achieve speeds of 350 kilometers per hour in just seven years," Sun added.
However, there are also those who doubt that slower speeds will make a difference.
"I don't think it will work, as the actual cause of the collision is unknown. We don't know if the train speed had anything to do with the collision, so slowing the speed of the trains is like barking up the wrong tree," said one microblogger.
Amid the doubts being raised about the reduced train speeds, there are also others who hope that the train speeds will be increased in the future.
A microblogger said: "I hope slowing the trains will be a temporary thing. I think after better safety measures and personnel training are implemented, the train speeds will increase again."
An editorial in yesterday's Beijing News said: "It is a trend of the times and the aspiration of the people to develop high-speed railways, but what people need are safe trains with affordable fares and quality service."
The slower train speeds made headlines across the country, but many people expressed mixed feelings about the decision.
Zhou Yiwen, an employee of Hunan Tangel Publishing Co Ltd, wrote on his microblog: "I feel a little relieved and I have faith in the government's measures. I hope it is not too late to fix the problem."
"It is good news, since I would feel safe with a slower train. But I do hope that they can rule out the hazards so that tragedies like this will not happen again," said a Beijing taxi driver surnamed Li, referring to the fatal bullet train collision in Wenzhou last month.
Sun Zhang, a professor at the Railway and Urban Mass Transit Research Institute of Tongji University, said he supported the new policy.
"We should take time to test the high-speed rail system and accumulate more experience, as this will provide an important reference for the future operation of the trains at higher speeds," Sun said.
"It took Japan 47 years to increase the speed of its Shinkansen railway network, going from 210 kilometers per hour in 1964 to 300 kilometers per hour in 2011. It is therefore impressive, yet worrisome, that China managed to achieve speeds of 350 kilometers per hour in just seven years," Sun added.
However, there are also those who doubt that slower speeds will make a difference.
"I don't think it will work, as the actual cause of the collision is unknown. We don't know if the train speed had anything to do with the collision, so slowing the speed of the trains is like barking up the wrong tree," said one microblogger.
Amid the doubts being raised about the reduced train speeds, there are also others who hope that the train speeds will be increased in the future.
A microblogger said: "I hope slowing the trains will be a temporary thing. I think after better safety measures and personnel training are implemented, the train speeds will increase again."
An editorial in yesterday's Beijing News said: "It is a trend of the times and the aspiration of the people to develop high-speed railways, but what people need are safe trains with affordable fares and quality service."
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
