The authorities in Beijing have moved to curb vehicle usage in China's capital.

Vehicle restrictions had been in place in the lead up to and during the Olympics, providing what has been described as the cleanest August in Beijing for ten years.

In a bid to recreate these conditions, new rules are being enforced which will ensure 800,000 cars are removed from the roads every day.

While the measures are not as stringent as the ones which covered the Olympics, they are still expected to reduce average road traffic flow in the city by 6.5 per cent and help speed up traffic, an official from the Beijing Municipal Committee of Communications told state news agency Xinhua.

Cars will be banned from the road on certain days of the week depending on the last number of their licence plates, although the restrictions are limited to weekdays between 06:00 CST and 21:00 CST.

Drivers not adhering to the rules from next Monday will be subjected to a RMB100 fine.

The Beijing Olympic Games, which ran from 8th August to 24th August, marked the first time that either a summer or winter Olympics had been held in China.


Source:
Beijing reintroduces car rules, 13/10/08
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7666563.stm
New traffic restriction goes into effect officially in Beijing, 13/10/08
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-10/13/content_10187118.htm
Beijing imposes car ban to ease traffic jams, 28/09/08
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-09/28/content_7068691.htm
Beijing's new traffic rules fail to curb gridlock, pollution, 13/10/08
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jSpXlnaIzLgInjtMgv7gICmnTMNQ