Beijing to launch odd-even vehicle use during Olympics

BEIJING (Reuters) - Beijing will introduce odd-even traffic restrictions for two months from July 20 to help ease congestion and reduce pollution during the Olympics and Paralympics, the city government said.

Beijing, which hosts the Olympics from August 8-24 and Paralympics from September 6-17, is one of the most polluted cities in the world and, with 3.5 million vehicles on the road, rapidly becoming one of the most congested.

"From July 20 to September 20, if the last number of your registration is odd, you can only drive on odd dates," read a regulation posted on the city's official website (Beijing.gov.cn), adding the same would apply to even-number cars on even days.

Those affected by the ban would be compensated by not having to pay road or vehicle taxes for three months, a spokesman for the transport department, Zhou Zhengyu, was quoted as saying.

Only 70 percent of government-owned cars, which make up almost a third of vehicles in the city, will be included in the scheme.

Security, emergency services, buses, taxis, coaches and sanitation vehicles as well as Beijing organizing committee and diplomatic cars will also be exempt.

The public transport network, boosted by three new subway lines, will take the strain.

"Beijing's public transportation system will have an increased capacity to take 4.5 million extra passengers a day by the time the Games begin," Liu Xiaoming, head of Beijing's transport department, told Xinhua.

Pollution is a major concern for many athletes ahead of the Games and the International Olympic Committee has said it may reschedule endurance events to prevent a potential health risk.

City authorities ran a test of the ban last August and, although the impact on air quality was not immediately noticeable to residents, declared themselves satisfied with the results.

A raft of factory closures and partial closures as well as a ban on major construction announced earlier this year will also take effect for two months from July 20.

The compensation for drivers will cost the city about 1.3 billion yuan ($189 million), Beijing Youth Daily said.

The new regulations had been long expected but will come as a blow to Beijing drivers, who woke up on a smoggy Friday to find the price of gasoline and diesel had unexpectedly risen by 1,000 yuan ($145.5) per tonne.