China has come under pressure to boost its level of public transport in an attempt to reduce the number of cars appearing on the country's roads.

According to Reuters, the World Bank urged China in a report to improve its public transport system, as increasing car ownership is causing traffic problems.

China's response to booming car sales had been to build more roads and highways to cater for the extra vehicles, but this policy has now come under scrutiny.

"A major challenge for the Chinese cities now is how to develop an efficient bus transport system before the critical mass of motorists is formed and shapes an irreversible, auto-dependent land use pattern," it said.

The report added that the capital Beijing had shown particular signs of traffic problems.

Around 1,000 new vehicles take to the road every day, it said, and the average speed during peak hours on the city's arterial roads had dropped by 50 per cent over the last decade.

By 2010, 35 per cent of Shanghai's commuters are expected to use the subway, Reuters said quoting state media figures. Last year just 12 per cent used it.

Ÿ Adfero Ltd