Annals of Motordom – 19

An occasional update on items from Motordom – the world of auto dominance

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BEIJING, ON THE RAPID ROAD TO MOTORDOM -Video Version

An aptly named fast-motion tour of Beijing – Too Fast, Too Much:

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SHUTTING THE GARAGE DOOR  …

So now Beijing is trying, after the fact, to do something about it:

(Beginning January 1) applicants are competing for the first batch of 20,000 plates…. The new system aims to reduce the number of cars in the notoriously gridlocked capital. The city will only allow 240,000 new car registrations in 2011 — two-thirds less than last year — and is parceling them out through the monthly online lottery.

The city now has 4.76 million vehicles, up from 2.6 million in 2005.

A global survey conducted last year by IBM said Beijing is tied with Mexico City for the world’s worst commute. Worries are growing that Beijing is choking itself for future growth as it gets more difficult to move people and goods around the city.

More here.

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AUTOLIB’, C’EST LA!

From Velo Mondial:

 The City of Paris is now in the process of bringing into service what they propose will be a new link in the chain of sustainable transport options: a carsharing system not quite like any other.  No less than three thousand cars to come on line in shared service in just nine months – and electric cars at that – working out of 1,000 to 1,200 stations spotted over not only the central city but a number of surrounding communities as well. The biggest and most daring carshare bet of all time. 

In World Streets you will find a machine translation of an article prepared   by Sylvain Marty, director of the much-awaited Autolib’ program at the City of Paris.

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