Congestion fees are to be introduced on some roads in the Chinese capital Beijing in a bid to tackle chronic traffic problems, state media report.<\/p>\n
Officials hope that the charges will encourage more people to use public transport, Xinhua news agency says.<\/p>\n
The city is also reportedly planning to encourage residents to buy alternative-energy cars.<\/p>\n
Few details of the new measures have been given, but Beijing has long tried to tackle its congestion troubles.<\/p>\n
The capital has 4.8m registered vehicles, and residents say the traffic jams are sometimes so bad the roads resemble car parks.<\/p>\n
Xinhua did not specify how high the new toll fees would be, which roads would be affected and how the fees would be collected.<\/p>\n
But it did report on Beijing’s plans to upgrade equipment at electric-vehicle charging stations and to build more of them in the hope of encouraging the purchase of new-energy cars, including electric vehicles.<\/p>\n
Beijing officials have been trying to tackle the problem of congestion since the Beijing Olympics in 2008.<\/p>\n
Measures have included restricting car purchases, increasing parking fees, widening roads and expanding its subway system.<\/p>\n
But the city is trying to balance its traffic problems with the desire of a growing middle class to have the convenience and status of car ownership, observers say.<\/p>\n
China overtook the US as the world’s biggest car and van market in 2009, with 13.6 million vehicles sold within the country.<\/p>\n
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