Beijing to ban half its cars for 1 month to cut pollution

BEIJING: The Chinese capital will ban half of its cars from plying for over a month to ease chronic pollution and traffic congestion during the forthcoming world athletics championships and the World War II victory parade.

Cars will be allowed on alternate days based on odd or even number license plates during the period from August 20 to September 3, the municipal government said.

The IAAF world athletics championship will be held in Beijing from August 22-30.

The military parade on September 3 in Beijing is part of a series of events in China to mark the 70th anniversary of the Japanese defeat in World War II.

The same vehicle ban was imposed last year during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings in Beijing.

The car ban is expected to not only give Beijing free flow of traffic, but also help improve its notorious air quality, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

80 per cent of official business cars will also be reduced, Rong Jun, spokesperson for the city government said.

Meanwhile, delivery trucks carrying daily necessities of the city will not be affected, Rong said, adding that the number and frequencies of buses at the same time will be increased.