Over 120,000 SZ motorists sign up green commuting

Jia Meng, a Longhua District resident, became the first person to sign up for Shenzhen’s green travel campaign, committing to commute by public transport during the APEC meetings in November.

Jia Meng is interviewed by local media as the first resident to sign up for the city's green travel campaign. Shenzhen Special Zone Daily

Jia usually drives from Longhua to a border crossing for work in Hong Kong. She will leave her car at home and commute by public transport from Nov. 16 to 20.

The green travel campaign began accepting applications at 10 a.m. Thursday. By 10 a.m. the following day, registrations had topped 120,000, organizers said.

Organizers said enthusiasm had been fueled by residents’ pride in Shenzhen’s role as an APEC host city, a straightforward application process and commemorative gifts.

“I didn’t expect to be the first applicant. I’m so honored and proud,” said Jia, adding that she would take Metro instead of driving during the APEC period. She said the Metro journey takes about an hour.

“I’ll use green transport throughout, and I hope my small contribution can help Shenzhen,” she said.

A green travel campaign poster.

Launched Thursday, the campaign encourages residents to reduce or stop using private cars and choose public transport, including buses and the Metro, to ease traffic pressure. Residents who voluntarily register and leave their cars unused will receive an APEC-themed Shenzhen Tong card with stored value and a commemorative car sticker.

Yang Cheng, the campaign’s 100,000th applicant, said he was surprised to receive the news the morning after signing up the previous evening.

“It shows that people in Shenzhen want to help make the APEC meeting a success,” Yang said. 

He said Shenzhen’s public transport network could meet his commuting needs. The city’s system, built around rail transit and supported by electricity-powered buses, has 653.7 kilometers of operating rail lines. Shenzhen also reports 100% coverage of bus stops within 500 meters.

The campaign is scheduled to run for five days, from Nov. 16 to 20. 

Residents can apply through the “Shenzhen Traffic Police” WeChat service account. After registering, logging in and linking a vehicle, users can select “Shenzhen Green Travel Season” on the account’s “Star User” homepage and submit their chosen vehicle, days off the road, usual parking location and alternative mode of transport.

Applicants will earn green-travel points, which can later be redeemed through an online points store for campaign items such as car stickers and transit cards.