Beijing to continue to restrict car sales to fight pollution

China will continue to restrict the number of new cars in Beijing until 2020 to 6.3 million to reduce congestion on roads and fight pollution, but that still will be an addition of 680,000 vehicles to the present fleet.

Beijings transport authority today said the capital city will limit the number of cars on roads to 6.3 million in 2020, as part of efforts to reduce traffic congestion.

According to Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport, the number of new license plates available to registered drivers, currently handled through a monthly lottery, will be reduced from the current 150,000 a year to 100,000 in 2018.

The total number of cars on road in Beijing was 5.62 million by the end of 2015.

The city has seen car numbers grow by 303 per cent from 1998 to 2013, with many major roads plagued by severe congestion.

Since 2004, the city has adopted a set of measures to solve the problem, such as introducing a plate lottery, encouraging the use of public transport, and using traffic control based on license plate numbers.

Also, China has decided to deploy worlds largest outdoor air purifier to fight smog in Beijing, where people are often advised to remain indoors.

This month Beijing issued at least two “yellow alerts” for air pollution – the third-most serious level in a four tier colour-code warning system. PTI KJV ABH AKJ ABH