Next year's Spring Festival peak travel period is expected to begin on January 7, ten days ahead of this year, with more than half of the four million-plus non-local workers and students preparing to return to their hometown before the holiday, according to Saturday's work conference.

Shanghai is home to more than four million businessmen and migrant workers, and nearly 160,000 university students from outside the city, with most expected to return to their hometown in the coming Spring Festival holiday.

The vocation for university students is predicted to begin on January 10 next year, with the peak return period falling between January 10 and 15.

"We should adopt strict measures to ensure safety and order during the Spring Festival peak travel period," said Shanghai Vice Mayor Yang Xiong at the conference yesterday.

The local transportation department should make preparations for the peak period, drawing up plans to react to the emergencies, Yang stressed.

The city should also enhance service standard and administration during the peak travel period, he added.

(Xinhua News Agency December 28, 2003)