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  • Essay / Research on the efficiency and current problems of the transportation system in Shanghai

    Shanghai, with a total population of more than 24 million, is the largest developed Chinese city (in terms of population) and without doubt the most developed among the four directly linked municipalities. administered by the Chinese central government. As a result, Shanghai is the economic center of China and one of the largest commercial cities in the world. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayTo facilitate economic activities in Shanghai as well as the city's large population, the central government of China has developed an extensive system transport to serve high transport demand. Basically, Shanghai's transportation system consists of roads, railways and airways. Shanghai has a rich road network, with most highways passing through or terminating in the city. Automobile transport is the most common means of road transportation in Shanghai. The road transportation system in Shanghai consists of bus and taxi systems. The growing demand for automobile transportation and the resulting increase in the number of private cars has pushed the government to build many elevated highways to reduce rampant traffic congestion. Additionally, due to the rise of bike-sharing business, cycling has gained popularity in recent days. On the other hand, Shanghai also has a rich railway network with four main stations as well as a terminus (Hongqiao station) which serves three major railway lines. (Yang et al., 2018). It goes without saying that rail transport is a major mode of transport and in Shanghai it serves hundreds of people daily to get to their jobs, to Pudong Airport among others. In addition, there is also a non-motorized transportation system that includes both pedestrians and cyclists. The pedestrian system consists of sidewalks that are used by all pedestrians, including people with visual and physical disabilities. Non-motorized cycles include more than 9 million gas-powered bicycles and motorcycles. Even though Shanghai has the most developed transportation system, it still cannot fully satisfy the transportation demand because there are still problems to be solved to make it fully efficient (Yang et al. , 2010). This research study will therefore focus on highlighting the efficiency of Shanghai's transportation system as well as comprehensively uncovering the problems of the current transportation system in Shanghai. This study will therefore serve as valuable reference material for urban development planners in Shanghai. Shanghai Transportation System Efficiency The efficiency of a transportation system refers to the extent to which a transportation system can meet the transportation demands of the system. It usually depends on some factors including urban land use pattern, urban transportation system structure, urban transportation infrastructure as well as urban traffic system control system (Yang, Cheng & Cheng, 2010) . Ideally, an efficient transport system is one that provides greater accessibility, greater safety (by reducing the number of road accidents), greater comfort and minimizes environmental pollution. Shanghai's transportation system has become more efficient with the development of multimodal transportation infrastructure. In this regard, Shanghai therefore has an efficient transport system whose operation is coordinated, with each mode of transport complementing each other. For example, theExtensive rail network, due to its high capacity advantages, is used for medium and long distance travel, while basic transport modes such as buses and taxis are used for short distance travel and for provide feeder services to rail transport due to their flexibility (Song, Wu & Wu, 2014). Thus, Shanghai's transportation system is efficient because it works in a coordinated manner to meet the transportation needs of the Shanghainese population. The use of information technology in transportation control represents the efficiency of the transportation system in Shanghai. For example, information technology is used to monitor and control traffic flow. On the other hand, legal restrictions imposed by Shanghai municipal authorities to make it difficult to acquire, own and operate private cars, through measures such as imposing tolls and high parking fees, paved the way for the development of the public transport system. public transport. For example, parking fees in Shanghai are high while taxi services are quite expensive. This is an attempt by the government to reduce the number of vehicles on the roads in order to reduce traffic congestion. In addition, Shanghai's road operation system is designed to ensure maximum efficiency in terms of speed and comfort. Road networks have sidewalks designed for pedestrians, separated from automobile traffic. There are also specially designed elevated highways to reduce traffic congestion, while cyclists are also provided with paths, which consequently reduce traffic congestion on the roads to promote speedy transportation (Jong, 2014). In addition, there are well-constructed parking lots for bicycles and motor vehicles, which helps preserve the aesthetic beauty of Shanghai. Although the transportation system has developed to this extent in recent years, it is unfortunately insufficient to establish an adequate balance between transportation supply and demand. Transportation System Problems in Shanghai Rapid population growth in Shanghai, coupled with rapid motorization, has led to several problems in the urban environment as well as the transportation system. One of the most widespread problems in Shanghai's transportation system is the population explosion. The availability of employment opportunities in Shanghai has attracted large numbers of rural immigrants to the city, thereby increasing the demand for transportation beyond the extent to which available transportation facilities can sufficiently meet. As a result, the city experiences unpleasant traffic jams due to the increase in automobile ownership. Additionally, motorized, motorized, and non-motorized vehicles compete for available roads, causing mixed traffic problems. Thus, overcrowding makes Shanghai's transportation system inefficient, as its inputs are unable to meet the rapidly increasing demand (Yang et al., 2010). Second, Shanghai's transportation system is also affected by the imbalance of investment in transportation infrastructure development as well as poor implementation of transportation development policies. Despite the obvious fact that expanding the public transportation system is the best way to reduce traffic congestion on the roads, Shanghai administrative authorities have failed to implement a public transportation priority system (Peng, Sun & Lu, 2012). Essentially, the government has failed to adequately invest inthe construction and management of public transport infrastructure, particularly railways, as well as in the adjustment of bus corridors to facilitate intermodal connectivity. In addition, the level of information system for public transportation in Shanghai is still low, which makes the development of the transportation system difficult. Additionally, government policies have not sufficiently supported the development of Shanghai's public transportation system. For example, the development of local and feeder bus services is low on the list of development priorities. On the contrary, huge amounts of money have been devoted to the development of metro and light rail. This leaves bus systems underdeveloped, therefore slow, unreliable and impractical. Peng et al. asserts that poor implementation of transportation development policies as well as low allocation coupled with low investments in transportation development therefore make Shanghai's public transportation system inefficient (2012). Due to the fragmentation of transportation system and land use management structures, the integration of public transportation and land use has been difficult in Shanghai, thus making the transportation system inefficient due to poor land use (Yang et al., 2010). For example, transportation development planning practices often fail to incorporate transit-oriented development (TOD) planning. Therefore, there are transportation system problems in Shanghai that result from the duplication of urban development plans. Specifically, most Chinese cities, including Shanghai, have transportation infrastructure designs copied from those of another city, without taking into account its traffic conditions and land use patterns. Institutional barriers are also an important factor that makes Shanghai's transportation system inefficient. For example, China's Ministry of Railways plans, builds and manages high-speed rail systems. Local government therefore plays a negligible role in the planning, construction and management of high-speed rail systems. On the other hand, the planning, construction and management of the bus system are carried out by the local government of Shanghai, with little contribution from the central government. Since these modes of transportation are managed by different governments, it is difficult to coordinate them to make the transportation system efficient because none of the service providers are responsible for initiating the coordination role. Besides the difficulty of inter-agency coordination, the other problem facing the transportation system in Shanghai is spatial segregation and traffic accidents. Certain urban transport infrastructures, such as major highways, cause spatial segregation. For example, young children as well as the physically and visually impaired have great difficulty crossing these transport infrastructures, which makes it difficult for the disabled to benefit from urban transport services. Transportation infrastructure development is concentrated in the city center, making transportation services inefficient in the suburbs. Finally, excessive air pollution is another problem in Shanghai's transportation system. The increase in the number of personal cars has led to an increase in the amount of carbon oxide (IV) and sulfur oxide (IV) from the combustion of fossil fuels. The concentration of CO2 and SO2 causes air pollution (deterioration of air quality) (Yang et al., 2010). So that the transport system.