High-Speed Rail and Urban Transformation in China:The Case of Hangzhou East Rail Station

Abstract

China has impressed the rest of the world with the huge scale and speed of implementation of its high-speed rail (HSR) network, which is expected to reshape the country’s economic geography and assist the rapid urbanization and industrialization process. However, the current practice, i.e. suburbanization of HSR stations with new town development, large-scale and airport-style HSR stations, has given rise to a series of critical issues. This paper reviews the background and highlights the features commonly shared by most newly developed HSR stations. A case study of Hangzhou East Rail station (HERS) is presented to reveal four key issues: intercity accessibility, intra-urban accessibility, new town development, and social segregation. Four recommendations arise from the issues discussed in the paper, namely the need for a prospective vista of the future on the relationship between transport accessibility and urban development over the long-term; a practical design philosophy based on reasonable consumption of resources and well-integrated station space and circulation; a proposed loop line to improve the accessibility to and from HERS so as to serve the polycentric urban centres in Hangzhou better; and widening the participation, cooperation, and dialogue among the various stakeholders during the decision-making process.