BEIJING — Local governments have been asked to take measures to improve road safety, especially in rural areas, according to a circular issued recently.

The circular, issued by the State Council General Office, demanded local governments finish removing dangers on roads, especially on the 30,000-kilometer rural roads with passenger transport and school buses, by the end of 2015.

It called for a significant improvement on road safety infrastructure and capability of road safety protection by the end of 2020.

An over-all clearance of existent hidden dangers, improvement of standards of road safety facilities, and enough investment are needed for the campaign, read the circular.

Local governments’ performance of the work should be evaluated and relative officials will be punished if they fail to meet the goals, and as a result it causes heavy casualties and serious economic losses, the circular said.