Beijing authorities have outlined plans to manage traffic and cut emissions for this Summer's Olympic Games.
|
|
|
Beijing?will?impose?traffic?bans?on?vehicles,?leading?up?to,
and?before?the?Olympic?Games.?Cars?will?be?divided?into?two
groups,?those?with?even?license?plate?numbers?and?those?with
odd?numbers. |
Beijing will impose traffic bans on vehicles, leading up to, and before the Olympic Games. Cars will be divided into two groups, those with even license plate numbers and those with odd numbers. And the two groups will take turns to run on alternate days.
This was a measure tested in August last year. And was considered a success after it cut traffic on main roads by 30 percent, and exhaust emissions by 40 percent.
Ji Lin, Deputy Mayor of Beijing said "During the Olympic Games, we will impose a traffic ban on private cars, based on a system of odd and even license plate numbers. We will also ban some government vehicles. The number ban will be imposed before the start of the Olympics, probably in July. The measure will affect some private car owners, so the government is thinking about giving them some economic compensation."
Officials say the compensation plan may take the form of lower vehicle taxes. The final decision will be announced after the conclusion of the ongoing NPC and CPPCC sessions. Beijing is set to complete the first phase of its subway 10 and Olympic lines. It will also add close to 2-thousand buses to boost transport capacities.
(CCTV March 13, 2008)