Home>News Center>China
           
     

    Thousands return to pedal power
    By Qiu Quanlin (China Daily)
    Updated: 2004-08-02 09:04

    GUANGZHOU: Tens of thousands of residents in the capital of South China's Guangdong Province are getting back on their bikes.

    They are turning to pedal power again as the city plans to phase out its 320,000 motorcycles by the end of 2006, which are seen as the cause of pollution and frequent traffic jams.

    Instead of turning to automobiles, still regarded as a luxury by low-income residents, which make up the majority of the city's population, many tend to use bicycles as their means of getting from A to B.

    Chen Guohua, an assistant manager of a local advertisement company, began going to work by bike a month ago.

    He stopped using his motorbike last month after the city's decision to phase them out.

    "Now I am becoming used to riding the bicycle to work," said Chen.

    Motorbikes have been banned in the non-rush hour period starting from May 1 in some of the city's major roads and downtown areas.

    The ban is expected to extend to every corner of the city by 2007, according to the municipal government.

    Guangzhou used to be a city that made and used lots of bikes until the mid-1980s.

    But, as people have become increasingly prosperous, they have tended not to use bicycles.

    But now the motorbike ban has led to a huge increase in bicycle sales in the city.

    "A bicycle costs much less than a car, and it is a very convenient commuting means," said Xiao Chen, a local motorcyclist before the ban.

    Li Xianhan, sales manager of Guangzhou-based Dibik Bicycle Company, said his company saw a steady increase in sales over the past few months.

    "In March, about 700-800 bicycles were sold, but more than 1,000 bicycles were sold in April," said Li.

    "The sales volume is expected to achieve a steady increase following the banning of motorcycles in the city," Li told China Daily.

    Qin Mingsheng, sales manager of Guangzhou-based Five Rams Bicycle Company, said the company's sales agents now tend to pay back money to the company before sales.

    "However, the agents used to pay back after sales, because few people tended to buy bikes until a few months ago," Qian said.

    At the same time, many local residents, including students and workers, bought their bicycles in the second-hand bicycle market, or the so-called "black market."

    Second-hand bicycles, which are often stolen from their original owners and sold at the "black market," cost no more than 100 yuan (US$12), less expensive than new ones.

    Local experts and officials have warned residents not to buy such stolen bikes, to help curb thefts.

    However, Ou Qiang, who was a motorcyclist before the ban, went to a motor market last week, hoping to buy a cheap car.



     
      Today's Top News     Top China News
     

    'Hospitals on wheels' to offer farmers health care

     

       
     

    Report: 274 dead in Paraguay market fire

     

       
     

    PLA vows to crush Taiwan separatism

     

       
     

    Hong Kong cheers first garrison parade

     

       
     

    WTO deal on farm products welcomed

     

       
     

    US warns of terrorist threat to financial icons

     

       
      Defence minister: Army to smash any independence plot
       
      PLA HK garrison holds military parade
       
      Guangdong non-State sector sees fast growth
       
      British Army uniforms to be made in China
       
      Foreign banks share RMB profits
       
      War against porn website in full swing
       
     
      Go to Another Section  
     
     
      Story Tools  
       
      News Talk  
      When will china have direct elections?  
    Advertisement
             
    亚洲福利中文字幕在线网址| 最近中文字幕在线中文高清版| 无码8090精品久久一区| 亚洲一日韩欧美中文字幕欧美日韩在线精品一区二 | 欧美亚洲精品中文字幕乱码免费高清 | 无码精品久久久天天影视| 惠民福利中文字幕人妻无码乱精品| 东京热加勒比无码少妇| 国产午夜精华无码网站| 色综合久久中文色婷婷| 亚洲av无码成人精品区在线播放| 无码人妻久久一区二区三区免费丨| 久久五月精品中文字幕| 中文字幕丰满乱孑伦无码专区| 成在线人AV免费无码高潮喷水| 国产成人无码区免费内射一片色欲 | 亚洲桃色AV无码| 中文字幕在线观看一区二区| 无码中文av有码中文a| 亚洲精品欧美精品中文字幕| 无码欧精品亚洲日韩一区夜夜嗨| 无码人妻精品一区二区| 一区二区三区人妻无码| 日韩人妻无码精品专区| 亚洲国产日韩欧美在线a乱码日本中文字幕高清 | 日本高清不卡中文字幕免费| 日韩亚洲欧美中文在线| 无码任你躁久久久久久| 亚洲爆乳精品无码一区二区| 久久无码国产| 亚洲?V无码成人精品区日韩| 久久无码精品一区二区三区| 青春草无码精品视频在线观| 国产成人亚洲综合无码| 国产AV一区二区三区无码野战| 日韩精品无码一区二区三区不卡 | 亚洲AV无码码潮喷在线观看| 亚洲AV综合色区无码一区爱AV | 无码人妻一区二区三区免费n鬼沢 无码人妻一区二区三区免费看 | 久久久久久人妻无码| 精品久久久久久久无码|