About 1.3 million vehicles are now missing from Beijing's streets, a test of the city's ability to clean its dirty air for next year's Olympic Games.
The four-day test plan runs from Aug. 17-20, said Beijing organizers.
Under the plan, cars with even- and odd-numbered plates will be allowed on the roads on alternate days. Emergency vehicles, taxis, buses and other public service vehicles will be exempt. Fines will be levied on violators, though it was unclear how much.
PHOTO: EPA
Beijing has 3.05 million vehicles, officials said Thursday, and is expected to have 3.3 million when the Olympics begin on Aug. 8, 2008.
"Citizens of Beijing understand politics and the big picture - they will understand," Du Shaozhong said, deputy director of Beijing's Environmental Bureau. "It's not just for the Olympics, but also for building a better Beijing."
"A clean-air plan for the Olympics will be published this year, and the most important part is the reduction of vehicles," Du added. He said other measures would include halting construction and closing factories.
The plan comes in the wake of criticism about Beijing's air pollution from International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge. He cautioned on Wednesday - the day the Olympic countdown clocks reached the 1-year mark - that some events next year would have to be postponed if the city's smog continued to threaten the performance of elite athletes.
A similar traffic plan nine months ago met with success during a six-day meeting between Chinese and African leaders. Under that plan, about 800,000 vehicles were taken off the streets as bureaucrats and ordinary citizens were asked not to drive.
為迎接明年的奧運，北京市現正展開一項淨化髒污空氣能力測試，約一百三十萬部車輛將在北京街道上「消聲匿跡」。
北京負責籌劃的官員表示，這項測試計畫自即日起至八月二十日止，為期四天。
測試期間，車輛將依車牌單雙號分日上路。緊急救援車輛、計程車、大型客車及其他公共服務車輛則不在此限。違者將處以罰鍰，但實際罰額不明。
官方人員表示，目前北京的汽車數量是三百零五萬輛，預估明年八月八日奧運開幕時，將成長到三百三十萬輛。
北京市環保局副局長杜少中說：「北京市民了解此舉的目的及整體考量─他們將會了解，這不光是為了奧運，也是為了建設更好的北京。」
杜少中還說：「今年將公佈一項專為奧運提出的淨化空氣計畫，而首務就是減少汽車數量。」他表示，其他措施還包括停止各項營建工程及關閉工廠。
國際奧委會主席賈克斯:羅格對北京空污問題提出批評後，這項計畫旋即誕生。羅格於八月八日（北京奧運開幕倒數一週年）警告說，如果北京的煙霧持續威脅優秀運動選手們的表現，明年部分競賽項目勢必延期舉行 。
九個月前，一場為期六天的中、非兩國領袖會議期間，也曾實施類似的交通計畫，成效卓著。計畫實施期間，由於官員和一般民眾都被要求不開車上路，街頭車流量因此減少了約八十萬輛。
（美聯社／翻譯：林倩如）
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