Results of Chengdu’s Car-Free Day, 13 October 2000

Chengdu Municipality implemented a Car-Free Day on 13 October 2000 as part of the activities of the Conference. Using guidelines and other examples provided by the Best Practices and Local Leadership Programme, the Car-Free day involved:

I. the entire city centre area of 20 square kilometers;

II. no individualised forms of motorised transport with the exception of taxis, ambulances and other vehicles essential for public safety;

III. monitoring of air and noise pollution, accidents, hospital admissions, etc. for 5 days prior to the event and on the day of the event;

IV. holding of a public opinion poll;

V. preparing the police for an outreach and sensitisation role;

VI. involving the press and media for awareness-building and the sensitisation of commercial retail and wholesale concerns.

During the five days preceding the Car-Free Day, the Air Pollution Index (API) for the central square of Chengdu (Tian Fu Square) as measured by average particulate matter and NOx emissions were 84 and 82 respectively. The same indices for Panda Square were 101 and 144 respectively. The heaviest pollutant in Tian Fu Square is particulates, while the heaviest pollutant in Panda Square is NOx.

Both these emissions are proportionate to the amount of vehicular traffic and the degree of congestion. For Panda Square, the highest API index per hour has been 180, approaching moderate levels of pollution.

Despite heavier vehicular traffic, the API in Tian Fu Square is comparably lower owing to two factors: the amount of green space and the relative openness of the square.

The preliminary results of the Car-Free Day are as follows:

• Vehicular traffic for Tian Fu Square was reduced by 56 percent.

• The Air Pollution Index (API) in Tian Fu Square for NOx emissions was reduced by 35 percent and the API for particulate matter was 60 representing a 29 percent reduction.

• In Panda Square, vehicular traffic was reduced by 58 percent with corresponding indices of 97 and 93, representing reductions of 33 percent and 28 percent of NOx and particulate matter respectively.

• The average reduction of noise within the Car-Free areas was measured as 4.5 dB. There was no noticeable change in levels of noise outside the Car-Free zone.

• Public opinion approval rate * percent

• Press and media outreach: estimated at 400 news agencies including the People’s Daily, CCTV, China Daily, and Xinhua News Agency etc.