Evaluation on the Effect of Car Use Restriction Measures in Beijing

Abstract

Recent years, with the rapid growth of car ownership in Beijing, urban transportation service level, air quality and energy consumption are facing great challenge. However, it is difficult to implement the measure of car use restriction because of all kinds of reasons. By taking chance of the 29th Olympic Games, Beijing municipal authority implemented the temporary measure of car use based on odd and even-numbered license plate. Then, after the 29th Olympic Games, Beijing municipal authority issued the measure of drive one day less a week on October, 11th 2008 to continue restricting car use. We collected transportation data about road travel speed, public transport operation, air quality and residents’ response from Oct. 2007 to Feb. 2009 period to evaluate the implementation effect of these car use restriction measures. The evaluation results show that these car use restriction measures have achieved fairly good effects on improving urban transportation and air quality. But the effects of current car use restriction measure are being counteracted by continually rapid growth of car ownership and use. Based on the analysis of the developing trend of Beijing transportation, we propose some recommendations for future integrated car use restriction measures in Beijing.