The city will rid local streets of motorcycles in the near future for a better traffic and environment, Youth Daily reported today.

Motorcycles are stopped to run in some of the city's main road sections starting today.

The vehicles will be reduced in number gradually and finally disappear from Shanghai's streets, local police said.

Local traffic authorities are now busy discussing ways to help motorcycle owners replace their plates with those of private cars.

The smog-producing vehicle has been a main accident causer and it also led to environmental problems, police said.

Last year, motorcycle-related accidents totaled more than 2,000, killing 237 and injuring some 2,400.

The fast speed of the vehicles also made many people feel unsafe when walking on streets. In recent years, cases of illegally carrying passengers and robberies by motorcycle riders also increased.

The vehicles also produced great amount of smokes and noises.

Shanghai has now totaling 790,000 motorcycles, some half of the total number of motor vehicles. The vehicles handle only 2.1 percent of daily trips however and are thus deemed to have very low efficiency.

( eastday.com July 30, 2002 )