Emergency Beijing Olympic pollution scheme kicks in
CHINA: Traffic restrictions and factory closures came into
effect in Beijing on Sunday in a last ditch attempt to turn the often
smoggy and dusty Chinese capital into the promised pollution-free venue
for next month’s Olympics.
On a sunny but slightly hazy day, only cars with even licence plate
numbers were visible on the city’s wide avenues and special Olympic
lanes were empty apart from the odd overtaking driver.
Hundreds of “social volunteers” who will help tourists and police a
crackdown on unwanted behaviour such as littering and spitting also
lined Beijing’s main Chang’an avenue in matching red caps and
red-trimmed polo shirts.
The city’s chronic pollution has been one of the biggest headaches
for Games organisers, who are banking on traffic restrictions and
last-minute industrial cut-backs to bring blue skies and easy breathing
for athletes during the Games.
Under the new rules cars are banned on alternate days depending on
whether their licence plates end in odd or even numbers, most official
cars have been impounded and almost all earth and cement works have now
been closed.
Taxi drivers, who are used to losing money as they idle in the city’s
epic traffic jams, were thrilled.
“Its going to be great for business. Look the traffic is already so
much better, its much easier to drive today,” said a smiling Han Jianguo
from behind the wheel of his cab. Ordinary Beijingers who will have to
pile onto the city’s already-crowded public transport were not all so
enthusiastic. The richest have splashed out on a second car.
“The rules will certainly help (with congestion). But it will bring
some real difficulties in transportation for ordinary people,” said
driver Liu Shuo.
The government hopes to take 45 percent of the city’s 3.3 million
cars off the roads and reduce emissions by two-thirds until the end of
the Paralympic Games in mid-September.
A series of factory controls in Beijing and surrounding areas will
also play a key role in the success of the controls.
The city has warned that drivers who violate the rules will be caught
by a high-tech surveillance network and fined. Authorities had installed
more than 10,000 “smart” devices, including cameras, ultrasonic and
microwave scanners on major trunk roads and dozens of designated Olympic
routes.
With more than 1,000 new cars on the street every day, Beijing is
becoming one of the world’s most congested cities.
Beijing, Sunday, Reuters
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