South China’s Shenzhen City has been urged to encourage the use of bicycles — regarded worldwide as the most environmentally friendly means of transport — to achieve sustainable development in transport.

It was proposed in a report by international consultants from Atkins after a three-year study. The report was submitted to an international conference on a sustainable transport strategy for Shenzhen on Monday.

The report also advised Shenzhen to give more priority to public transport and discourage the use of private cars.

The project won World Bank loans worth about US$1 million.

It was the first time a Chinese city had obtained World Bank loans to conduct a transport study.

The study said Shenzhen should not rely primarily on the highway system and private cars to meet future demand, which would cause serious traffic jams and pollution.

Alternatives included light rail, trams, bus rapid transit (BRT) and buses, the study said.

(Shenzheni Daily November 16, 2004)