Beijing to further restrict non-local vehicles to address congestion, pollution

Beijing's relevant authorities rolled out a new regulation Friday to target vehicles with non-local licence plates in a bid to relieve congestion and reduce emissions.

Vehicles with non-local licence plates are seen running in the Tongzhou District, Beijing, on June 15, 2018. [Photo: Beijing Daily]

According to the regulation, non-local vehicles are only allowed to apply for the entry permit 12 times a year. Each permit is valid for seven days, meaning a non-local vehicle is only allowed within Beijing's Sixth Ring Road for a maximum of 12 weeks a year.

The entry permit is provided to non-local vehicles coming to Beijing for a temporary period of time. However, the city's lottery system for issuing licence plates, which grants a very limited number of plates to local applicants, has propelled many to register cars in other cities and then drive them to Beijing.

The municipal government said an average of 130,000 entry permits are issued every day, about 910,000 permits every week. Close to 709,000 non-local vehicles are used in Beijing on a regular basis by continuously renewing entry permits.

Inter-provincial coaches, tourist buses, military, police and ambulance vehicles are not restricted, said the regulation, which is jointly issued by the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport, Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau and Beijing Traffic Management Bureau. The regulation will come into effect Nov. 1, 2019.

The traffic management authority said it will enhance law enforcement and punishment of traffic-related offences.