Another 10% cars to go off roads for cleaner Beijing

Shanghai, August 1 (Gasgoo.com) Chinese authorities have outlined a series of contingency measures that would kick in if Beijing's weather is "extremely unfavorable" during the Olympic Games that begin August 8. Under the emergency plan, another 10% Beijing vehicles will go off the roads, reported xinhuanet.com today, citing the Ministry of Environmental Protection as saying on Thursday.

"If the air quality is forecast not to meet the standards in the following 48 hours, the contingency plans would be initiated," stated the emergency measure, which would make private cars whose last two license plate digits match the last digit of date (from August 8 to 24) to be off the roads. This may reduce the number of automobiles on the capital's roads by 60%. Tianjin and Hebei would begin implementing similar restrictions. 

The current Beijing traffic restrictions starting on July 20 ban odd and even license plates on alternate days, reducing them by half. Earlier, independent experts had suggested the environmental authorities take up to 90 percent cars off the roads if the air quality does not improve during the Games.

Other emergency steps include temporarily closing 105 more machinery, chemical and construction material factories and stopping all construction work in the city. Another 56 factories in Olympic co-host city Tianjin, 80 miles to the southeast, and 61 in Hebei province will be closed, too.

From the start, athletes participating in the August 8-24 Games have raised concerns about the impact of the city's pollution on their health and performances. Some of the 10,500 Olympic athletes began arriving in large numbers this week.

On Thursday, Beijing's air pollution index (API) rose to 69 from a low of 44 the previous day, but much healthier than what it was a couple of weeks ago, before the even-and-odd license traffic restrictions were imposed. The haze normally cloaking the city lightened after heavy rains during the day.