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 cutbacks 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.
”It’s going to be great for business. Look, the traffic is already so much better, it’s much easier to drive today [Sunday],” said a smiling Han Jianguo from behind the wheel of his cab.
Ordinary Beijingers who will have to pile on to 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% 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.
Camera controls
The city has warned that drivers who violate the rules will be caught by a high-tech surveillance network and fined.
Authorities have installed more than 10 000 ”smart” devices, including cameras and 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. Officials hope that reduced emissions during the Games period will help improve air quality, although some athletes have lingering concerns.
Construction sites have also been blamed for the poor air quality, which has led some to dub the city ”Grayjing”.
More than 150 high-polluting earth and cement works are shut for two months, with five retained for ”emergency” purposes.
Tianjin, a port city just east of Beijing and host to Olympic soccer qualifiers, has ordered 40 factories to close. Tangshan, a heavy industrial base north-east of Beijing will shut nearly 300 factories this month to improve air quality for the Games.
Beijing has spent about 120-billion yuan ($17,58-billion) to clean up its environment, and has already ordered 300 000 high-emission cars off its roads. — Reuters