The State Council General Office released a guideline on March 23 to guarantee the safe operation of urban rail transit.

The situation of rail transit in Chinese cities has been generally stable. However, over the past few years, the rapidly growing railway mileage and ever-expanding railway network have added much pressure to operation safety, the guideline said.

With safe operation as the goal, the guideline requires related departments to improve the systems, mechanisms, laws and regulations. It also demands that they innovate management, enhance technological support and boost service quality. Through these efforts, China can provide the public with safe, reliable, convenient, comfortable and affordable transportation service.

Several aspects were emphasized in the guideline:

A complete management system should be established, with specific responsibilities assigned to related departments. Legislation for urban rail transit should be accelerated and relevant laws and regulations should be amended on a timely basis according to practical situations.

An overall development plan should be made. The development of urban rail transit should be coordinated with the level of local economic and social development.

Operation safety management should be enhanced by establishing a dual-prevention mechanism with safety risk level control and hidden danger investigation. Safety monitoring should cover the whole process as well as all areas and management levels of operation. A third-party evaluation system should also be established for operation safety.

The guideline urged rail transit operators to enhance daily security inspection, and encouraged the use of intelligent and efficient new technologies and products for security checks. A new security check mode that accommodates the urban rail transportation passenger flow should be gradually introduced.

Local governments should consider urban rail transit in their emergency management systems, and make more specific contingency plans according to local situations. They should also increase financial support for local rail transit, and set up a subsidy mechanism related to operation safety and service quality.

The guideline also called for related ministries of the State Council and provincial governments to strengthen guidance and inspection on the safety of urban rail transit.