Crucial time for China's high-speed rail network

The final bolts fastening the high-speed rail tracks linking Shanghai and Beijing were tightened last week, presenting the mouth-watering prospect of efficient, high-speed travel between the cities, accelerating what is already rapid growth.

By the time this particular route is fully operational at the end of next year, 80 million passengers are expected to travel on it annually, while the 24 stations along the route will effectively link half the country's population. If trains are able to run as quickly as advertised, travel times between the capital and the nation's largest city will be more than halved to under five hours.

Such attractive figures have caught the world's attention. Not only will the impressive new infrastructure bring about a new era of land travel within the mainland, but also showcase China as a leading innovator. If all these benefits genuinely bear fruit, the estimated 3.7 trillion yuan (HK$4.24 trillion) to build the world's largest high-speed rail network will look a wise investment. Furthermore, these ambitions are expanding beyond China's borders. China and Thailand are reportedly in talks over a high-speed railway that will pass from southern China, through Laos to Thailand.

But with such a colossal amount of money involved it is imperative that the expected results are returned through strategic planning and co-ordination. Already the National Audit Office has identified 520 million yuan worth of irregular receipts regarding the construction of the 220.9 billion yuan Beijing-Shanghai line and handed the details to prosecutors. Throwing money into researching the latest technologies and putting fast trains on the right tracks towards the right destinations will not automatically guarantee benefits for the public.

A case in point was the recent opening of the Shanghai to Nanjing high-speed railway. Despite the hype and the much vaunted top speeds of 350km/h, most of the trains running the route only shortened travel times by one minute despite ticket prices having increased 57 per cent. Only two trains a day, one in each direction, travelled at speeds greater than the original trains, due to scheduling conflicts and the complicated routes. Ordinary travellers found it difficult to see how all that money had improved their lifestyles.

Furthermore, investigations into the two most memorable rail incidents in recent years have identified human error as the cause. In April, 2008 a Beijing to Qingdao train which had exceeded the speed limit derailed, killing 72 people and injuring more than 400. The accident took place at 4.40am and the speeding train initially went unnoticed. When it was noticed and warnings were sent out, those warnings were not heeded. Earlier that year 2.5 million people were left stranded around Guangzhou train station, causing mayhem and a public safety crisis. The chaos had been sparked by power failures, which stopped services for 10 days just as workers in the country were preparing to return to their hometowns for the Lunar New Year. While the ageing infrastructure was undoubtedly an issue, poor co-ordination between the relevant transport departments was also a key factor in the failure to avert the chaos.

The Shanghai to Nanjing route is now increasing in popularity but only after it was suspended for rescheduling and a new ticket-pricing strategy. Question marks over the Shanghai-Beijing route will remain unless the authorities can show that the money spent on fast trains is matched by investment in rail planning and training of personnel to ensure the well-being of domestic travellers is improved.

Vocabulary:

1) mouth-watering
2) catch/attract sb's attention
3) Not only... But also...
4) STH genuinely bear fruit
5) a colossal amount of money
6) it is imperative that XXX
7) A case in point/ An example in point
8) the hype
9) the much vaunted
10) go unnoticed
11) those warnings are not heeded
12) cause mayhem
13) be now increasing in popularity
14) Question marks over/against STH will remain