Shanghai will need 120,000 new parking spots by 2010.
   
The city is already trying to deal with a shortage of about 60,000 spots, said Hong Hao, deputy secretary-general of the Shanghai municipal government at a recent international forum on city sustainable development.

   
He said transportation in Shanghai has improved greatly but the city still lags behind international standards.
   
One of the main problems is a serious shortage of parking facilities.
   
The shortage was largely caused by lack of planning, Hong said.
   
However, a staff member at the Shanghai Communications Bureau said the shortage is not just reflected in sheer numbers but in the low use rate of current facilities.
   
"What happens is, while many drivers are finding nowhere to park, underground car parks still have lots of space," the official was quoted as saying by the Shanghai Morning Post.
   
According to a recent online survey on parking problems, 44.2 per cent of car users prefer outdoor parking despite the fact that underground parking in Shanghai is more popular than that in Beijing.
   
To encourage underground parking in city centers, electronic guides have been put up.

(China Daily November 18, 2004)