Traffic smooth after snow storm in Beijing

BEIJING, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Beijing saw smooth flow of traffic Monday, the first workday of 2010, after a snow storm Sunday caused traffic breakdown in the national capital.

The city's bus and subway services went smoothly on Monday, with no gridlock and serious traffic accidents reported, according to the Beijing Traffic Management Bureau.

During the peak hours on Monday morning, the Beijing Subway Operating Company dispatched 20 additional subway trains to ease the passenger flow.

The early bus of all routes started off on time in the morning, according to the Beijing Public Transport Holdings.

Most of the bus services ran smoothly, while only 19 lines leading suburban mountainous areas were suspended, it said.

From 9:00 p.m. Saturday to 8:00 a.m. Monday, more than 20,000 sanitation workers were dispatched to clean the snow in the city's main roads with 15,710 tonnes of snow-dissolving agent, said Zhang Zhiqiang, an official with the Beijing Environmental Sanitation Group Co., Ltd.

By 9:00 a.m., all expressways in Beijing reopened to traffic, while some national and municipal highways were shut down due to the slippery road conditions.

The vehicle flow in Beijing was reduced Monday after authorities announced on Sunday that classes in primary and middle schools would be suspended on Monday, and urged institutions and companies to stagger their work time.

However, transportation in eastern Shandong Province and northern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region was seriously affected by the heavy snow.

By 9:30 a.m. Monday, many expressways in Shangdong were closed and 19 flights cancelled in the Yantai International Airport.

In Inner Mongolia, 13 trains were delayed Monday in Hohhot, the regional capital, said the Hohhot railway authorities.

The No. 1820 train, carrying more than 800 passengers, started off at 5:10 p.m. after being stranded for 12 hours, they said.