Traffic rule not effective as expected

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Since the Olympics, Beijing has banned cars on inner-city roads for one day a week according to the last number on their license plate. On Monday, a new rotation began. Cars with license plate numbers ending in 4 and 9 are banned on Mondays, and so on. But the traffic rules are not working as well as was hoped.

Since the Olympics, Beijing has banned cars on inner-city roads for one day a week according to the last number on  their license plate.

Car sales are as hot as the weather in Beijing. And part of the reason is traffic control rules.

Customer said, "I'm buying my second car. It because of the control rules. I have to pick up my child every day. If it wasn't for the traffic control rules, there'd be no need to buy a second car. "

According to latest statistics, in the first half of this year there were more than 210 thousand new cars in Beijing. They are gradually making up for the cars banned every day.

Although twenty percent of cars are not allowed on roads each day, the actual traffic volume is only down by five to seven percent.

Lu Huapu, Head of Traffic Research Institute, Tsinghua University "The major reason is that people use their cars more often on the other four weekdays. And they can still drive before seven in the morning or after eight in the evening, on the day when the car is banned. Besides, some families are able to buy a second car. So the drop in traffic is less than expected. "

Experts say such control rules are not an ultimate solution for Beijing's traffic problems.

The city could solve this by improving its public transport.

Lu Huapu said, "For example, if we have more buses, which reach more destinations in the city with better services, people will be more willing to use them. That would change the situation on road. "

The public transport system carries thirty percent of people traveling in the city. The long-term goal is to make more than 70 percent.