Universiade traffic control mulled

TRAFFIC control for the 2011 Shenzhen Universiade could include opening special lanes for event vehicles, operating shuttle buses and restricting vehicles on certain days based on their plate numbers, the organizing committee said at a meeting with three visiting officials of the International University Sports Federation (FISU) yesterday.

“It is estimated that around 80,000 people will participate in the opening and closing ceremonies,” said Lin Jia, director of Logistics Department of the Executive Office of the Organizing Committee of 26th Summer Universiade. “We hope to guarantee trips of no longer than an hour from hotels to sport venues.” Lin said the final traffic proposal would be finished by February 2010.

FISU officials had been invited by the organizing committee to offer tips and suggestions for the city’s Universiade preparation on a wide range of topics such as sports event planning, city event planning and recruitment of volunteers. During the meeting, Marc Vandenplas, Summer Universiade director of FISU, said he was concerned about the accommodations for the participants and the sport events during the Universiade.

“More than 28,000 people — athletes, officials from FISU, volunteers and commercial sponsors — will attend the sport event,” Lin said. “The Universiade Village in Longgang will have beds for 13,000 participants, while the others will stay at hotels designated by the organizer.”

Lin said 51 hotels above three-star level had been recommended, and a group of experts would be sent to inspect them and select qualified ones.

Cai Yingbo