Beijing will put more handicapped accessible buses into service and replace all subway cars running on its two downtown routes with new ones in an effort to improve public transport facilities for next year's Beijing Olympics.

Beijing Metro, the operator of the city's 200-km urban rail network, plans to put 120 new subway cars on Line 1, the trunk route linking the east and west and passing the Tian'anmen Square in central Beijing, before June 2008, a company spokesman said on Wednesday.

Another 144 new cars will be running on Line 2, the loop line around Beijing's city proper, he said.

The first of the new cars has arrived in Beijing and will start a 5,000-km test run on Wednesday to check safety.

The new subway car, 114 meters long and 2.8 meters wide, can accommodate a maximum of 1,820 people and has LED screens to display weather information and results of the Olympic events, according to the spokesman.

He said the new cars are air-conditioned and have better ventilation systems. Each one has four wheelchair lifts and wheelchair-designated space.

To facilitate travels for the handicapped people, Beijing will put an additional 2,500 handicapped accessible buses into service before the end of this year, the Beijing Public Transportation Group said.

"By then, Beijing will be having nearly 4,000 handicapped friendly buses, about a quarter of its bus fleet," said Feng Xingfu, vice managing director of the group.

The group will also put 50 lithium battery-powered buses in service in the Olympic Village, the Olympic Media Village and the Olympic Central District before March, 2008, said Feng.

Beijing government has earmarked four billion yuan (US$513 million) to boost public transport and ease congestion since last year, as urban transport has reached a crisis point and 90 percent of roads are operating at full capacity in the city with 3 million motor vehicles and 4.13 million drivers.

By 2010, the government hopes 40 percent of Beijingers would choose public transport as their primary means of transportation, up from 28 percent reported in 2005.

The city is also working to expand its urban rail network, which will extend 270 kilometers and carry 25 to 30 percent of commuters by 2010.

(Xinhua News Agency September 5, 2007)