Congestion fee a must

交通拥堵收费 势在必行

In the wake of a spell of hazardous smog, Beijing’s traffic authority announced on Thursday the city is likely to trial a congestion charge for road users.

在雾霾的咒语中醒来，北京市交通部在周四早上发布消息，拟对道路使用者收取道路拥堵费。

Unfortunately, such a statement is little more than cold comfort for local residents, as this is not the first time that a congestion charge has been put on the government’s agenda.

不幸的是，这个声明对当地居民没有起到任何安慰，因为这并不是交通拥堵费第一次被政府提上议事日程。

As a metropolis with more than 20 million residents and about 6 million cars, Beijing began considering congestion fees in 2010. In its last five-year action plan on controlling vehicle exhaust emissions, the city planned to introduce a congestion charge for the downtown area this year.

作为一个居民人数超过2000万，机动车数量超过600万的城市，北京在2010年就开始考虑收取拥堵费。在北京市最新的5年发展规划中，关于控制机动车尾气排放，北京计划从今年起在城市中心区域引进拥堵费。

Yet, in spite of the fact that the city is so heavily plagued by serious air pollution and endless traffic jams, local policymakers are still only looking into the possibility of a congestion fee.

然而，尽管事实是北京市现在遭受严重的大气污染和无止境的交通堵塞的困扰，当地决策者却还停留在调查拥堵费收取的可能性上面。

Although the success of such a policy in many other foreign capitals does not guarantee that it will be a penance for Beijing’s traffic and pollution problems, a congestion fee will definitely help improve the traffic situation and reduce the pollution from vehicle exhausts.

虽然这个已在一些外国的首都取得成效的政策，不能保证将使北京市民脱离交通堵塞和大气污染的苦海，但收取交通拥堵费是肯定可以改善交通现状，降低机动车尾气的污染。

Yet for congestion charging to work its magic in the long run, the Beijing municipal government also needs to continue expanding the subway and other public transport systems while gradually redesigning the city so that people can travel less between home and workplace.

那么交通拥堵费在长期内发挥它的魔力的同时，北京市政府仍然需要持续扩大地铁和其它的公共交通设施，慢慢的重构这个城市，这样市民就能在家和公司之间减少开车的频率。

There is always opposition to any extra cost for residents. But in order to get a handle on the horrendous traffic and pollution problems in Beijing, local policymakers must be resolved to take drastic measures as soon as possible.

任何额外的收费都总有市民会反对。但是为了让北京糟糕的交通和污染问题得到解决，当地的决策者们必须下定决心采取尽可能严厉的措施。

The severity of the city’s traffic and pollution problems leaves no time for policymakers to postpone such moves. And even it may be unpopular for now, a congestion fee is a necessary requirement that Beijing can no longer be shy away from.

城市的交通和污染的严重程度使得决策者们必须采取拥堵费收取措施。即使交通问题现在可能不像以前那样备受关注，它是北京市无法再回避的一个必然要求