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Leeds and Hangzhou Share Best Practices
Leeds and Hangzhou, China exchange best practices in several fields, including smart technology and integrated transport.
15:32 24 September 2018
The strong partnership between Leeds and Hangzhou in China could help Leeds improve its public transport. The latter has pledged to share good practice with the former and assist in preparation for Leeds2023. Under their renewed agreement, both will share their best practice in several fields, including smart city technology and integrated transport.
Hangzhou, which is located in Eastern China, has three subways or metro lines as well as high-speed bullet trains that take commuters directly to major cities, such as Shanghai and Beijing.
Leeds, on the other hand, has repeatedly failed in building a mass transport system. Its unsuccessful attempts, including the decision to scrap the NGT Trolley Bus scheme after 10 years of planning, have been well documented over recent years.
Cllr Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council said: “It has been an absolute privilege to visit Hangzhou and to renew the very special promise our two cities made to one another three decades ago.
“The relationship we share with Hangzhou has brought tremendous economic and business benefits to the Leeds City region and it continues to bear fruit in a huge variety of ways in Leeds- from the many students travelling to study at our universities to the Chinese Olympic athletes who have trained in our sporting facilities.
“But most of all it has given us the opportunity to discover and experience the best of our different cultures, to learn from one another and to celebrate the shared values which unite us.”