Ningbo is honored as a national model city in public transport construction. [Photo/zj.zjol.com] 

Ningbo in East China's Zhejiang province has been honored as a national model city in public transport construction, according to a recent announcement released by the Ministry of Transport. 

The city has been making public transport construction a top priority in its urban development over the past five decades, and has seen increasing public satisfaction over its improving public transport services. 

The city has invested nearly 100 billion yuan ($14.5 billion) in building new roads and bus stations, and replaced over 30 percent of its old buses with new energy vehicles. 

The percentage of journeys by public transport has also significantly increased, with public satisfaction towards the city's public transport having grown to 90 percent. 

"Receiving the honor marks not an end point, but a new starting point for Ningbo's urban development," said a local official, adding that they will make further efforts to build an urban transport system with public transport as the main body, and increase the role of public transport in guiding the city's urban development.

A smart robot helps a passenger carry a handbag at Ningbo Railway Station on Metro line 2 in Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province, on Aug 7, 2017. [Photo/IC]

The electrical bus in Ningbo [Photo/IC]