Small models most effective way to use the limited space on the roads

Rao Ronggen, small-car sector

Smaller cars are the way to the future in big cities, if you believe Rao Ronggen, south China regional manager for the Jiangxi Changhe Suzuki Automobile Company.

Mr Rao said smaller cars were a necessary and effective way to ease traffic congestion in big cities but to some extent existing traffic laws and regulations on the mainland discriminated against smaller vehicles, in some cases by banning cars with smaller engines from major thoroughfares.

For example, since 2002 drivers of small cars have not been allowed to use Guangzhou's major roads and ring roads.

It would be impossible to widen major traffic arteries to ease congestion in the short term, but Mr Rao said greater use of small cars would quickly improve traffic conditions.

'Many people think there are traffic jams because the roads are too narrow, but in fact roads in most Chinese cities are wider than those in many other countries and regions,' Mr Rao said. 'So the major problem is the vehicle.