The number of cars is increasing rapidly in most cities around the world including those in China. Access to a car increases the range of opportunities available and confers status. The construction of cars can also be a major contributor to a national economy and provide many jobs. However, mass car ownership brings many problems including environmental damage, resource depletion, congestion and inequality. In this paper the nature of urban transport problems in general is examined, and then the extent to which these are applicable in Chinese cities is considered. Then the future of transport in such cities is considered using some projections by the World Bank. It is shown that the problems will become much worse if no policy intervention occurs, but even with significant investment, the quality of the environment will deteriorate.
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