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| Beijing reintroduces car rules | Beijing reintroduces car rules |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Traffic restrictions have been re-introduced in China's capital Beijing, in an attempt to bring back the clear skies seen during the Olympics. | Traffic restrictions have been re-introduced in China's capital Beijing, in an attempt to bring back the clear skies seen during the Olympics. |
| Each car must spend one day a week off the road, in a scheme based on registration numbers. | Each car must spend one day a week off the road, in a scheme based on registration numbers. |
| Beijing residents miss the clean air and quiet streets they enjoyed throughout the Games. | Beijing residents miss the clean air and quiet streets they enjoyed throughout the Games. |
| But according to correspondents, many people have complained that the new car scheme is too complicated. | But according to correspondents, many people have complained that the new car scheme is too complicated. |
| The new rules are expected to take some 800,000 cars off the road every day, according to the Beijing Municipal Committee of Communications. | The new rules are expected to take some 800,000 cars off the road every day, according to the Beijing Municipal Committee of Communications. |
| "It's expected to reduce Beijing's average road traffic flow by 6.5%," a committee official told the state news agency Xinhua. | "It's expected to reduce Beijing's average road traffic flow by 6.5%," a committee official told the state news agency Xinhua. |
| During periods of exceptionally heavy pollution, the restrictions will be increased so that half of Beijing's 3.4 million cars will be taken off the roads, state media reports. | During periods of exceptionally heavy pollution, the restrictions will be increased so that half of Beijing's 3.4 million cars will be taken off the roads, state media reports. |
| Trial run | Trial run |
| The new rules came in to effect on Monday morning - anyone with a licence plate ending in one or six could not drive into the city. | The new rules came in to effect on Monday morning - anyone with a licence plate ending in one or six could not drive into the city. |
| On Tuesday it will be the turn of people with number plates ending in 2 and 7. | On Tuesday it will be the turn of people with number plates ending in 2 and 7. |
| 1,000 new vehicles join Beijing's roads every dayThe new restrictions will be implemented on a trial basis for six months until April. | |
| A similar scheme operated during the Olympics, when factories around the city were also closed to reduce air pollution. | A similar scheme operated during the Olympics, when factories around the city were also closed to reduce air pollution. |
| The measures transformed the city's filthy skies, and according to a BBC correspondent in Beijing, Quentin Sommerville, it was the cleanest August that Beijing had seen in 10 years. | The measures transformed the city's filthy skies, and according to a BBC correspondent in Beijing, Quentin Sommerville, it was the cleanest August that Beijing had seen in 10 years. |
| But the authorities face a mounting battle to reduce car use in Beijing - 1,000 new vehicles join the crowded roads every single day. | But the authorities face a mounting battle to reduce car use in Beijing - 1,000 new vehicles join the crowded roads every single day. |