Practical Reflection on Trams and Prospect of Its Application under Strategic Goals of "Emission Peak and Carbon Neutrality"

There are some obvious controversies about the role of trams in China's urban public transportation system, and the development of trams is quite different between China and abroad. Through comprehensive and systematic analyses of policies, strategies, planning, construction, implementation, etc., this paper finds that for most Chinese cities which cannot meet the conditions of building subways and light rails in China, it is necessary for them to guide the development of trams scientifically. However, the main reason that the development of trams is in trouble in Chinese cities is the widespread misunderstanding and misuse of key elements such as the role, definition, application of trams. Therefore, this paper argues that trams need to be matched and coordinated with the innovative spatial planning structures of “medium and small scale”, such as “15-minute city” and “life circle” under the “emission peak and carbon neutrality” background, and then put forward five important principles for trams applying to the development of Chinese cities.