Air pollution has been a perennial problem in Chinese cities. (Photo : Reuters)
Experts have warned that a controversial proposal to ban half of Beijing's vehicles from the roads on alternating days during the winter season would be nothing more than a stopgap measure, as reported by China Daily.
The proposal involves permanently banning cars based on an odd-even license plate scheme every year during the city's "winter heating season" from Nov. 15 to March 15. No decision has yet been made, according to Li Shixiang, Beijing's executive vice mayor.
The system was previously implemented during international events like the 2008 Olympics, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in 2014, and on other exceptionally heavily polluted days.
The ban is still being discussed, and there is a chance that, even if it passes, it will not be applied in time for next winter, according to a statement by Rong Jun, spokesman of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport, in a press conference on Wednesday.
"Automobiles produce a lot of emissions to the detriment of residents' health and the problem is compounded in winter when the municipality's central heating systems are switched on. We have to choose between heating fueled by coal and the use of cars," said Rong.
Currently, traffic rules prevent a fifth of the city's vehicles from being on the roads during weekdays based on their license plate number. The owners of vehicles that go against this face a penalty.
Rong said that Beijing had only enforced the odd-even car ban six times since it was first used in 2008.
However, some transport experts have described the ban a stopgap measure and have called for better, long-term solutions.
Chen Yanyan, a professor of transport at Beijing University of Technology, said that Beijing can learn from other cities around the world for tips on how to deal with traffic congestion.
"For example, in San Francisco, car owners can reserve parking spaces in advance or find out about parking conditions in central areas through an intelligent system, so they will not drive into the city if there is no space, which reduces traffic congestion," said Chen.
Yang Guangwu, the chief engineer of the Beijing Major Projects Construction Headquarters Office, said that the capacity of Beijing's public transport system has been enhanced with the opening of more subway lines.
"By 2021, the city will have 29 subway lines and 999 kilometers of track, 80 percent more than its current length," said Yang. "It is more environmentally friendly, convenient and efficient to take the subway than drive a car."
According to Huang Yan, director of Beijing Municipal Commission of Urban Planning, the aim is for residents to be able to find a subway station less than 750 meters of their homes or offices before the end of the decade.
