A safety check of Beijing's 40-year old subway network was completed on Thursday, concluding that the service was safe overall, but that old rolling stock should be replaced to improve standards.

It found that nearly 42 percent of trains had been operating for about 40 years, said Wang Tong, a public safety specialist, which could pose a potential threat to passenger safety.

Routes are well-equipped with respirators, blast shelters, fire extinguishers, alarms, smoke emission and fire control systems. A set of emergency measures for dealing with explosions, fire, and terrorist attacks have also been worked out.

The evaluation of the No.1 and No.2 underground routes was the first of its kind since the system was put into use in the late 1960's.

The city has invested 4.3 billion yuan (US$518 million) in improving subway safety and telecommunications since 2003 and, by the end of 2007, 182 trains will have been phased out on schedule.

Wang said he believed that the situation had "obviously improved" in just one year due to the government's efforts.

So far, Beijing has three subway routes and one overground with 70 stations and 114 kilometers of track. About 1.64 million journeys were made on the system each day last year.

The north-to-south No.4 and No.5 lines and east-to-west No.10 are now under construction and expected to be finished before 2008, when the city will host the Olympic Games.
 
(Xinhua News Agency May 27, 2005)