According to the commission's latest plan to deal with heavy traffic this month, government departments have been told not to hold large meetings or activities.

Companies and institutions are also urged to offer employees flexible work hours to avoid traffic gridlock, said Wang Wenfang, a spokeswoman for the transport commission, on Thursday.

However, it will be up to the companies or institutions to implement a flexible work schedule policy, Wang added.

Meanwhile, Beijing plans to open and change seven bus lines in September and introduce more community bus lines for commuters.

Customized shuttle bus lines will also be introduced this month, according to the commission.

Liu Fuli, an independent expert in traffic congestion, welcomed the new measures and said flexible work-hour policies would be better implemented if government departments could try them out first.

He added that the problem of traffic congestion in Beijing lies in wrongly set traffic signals on city side roads.

Zhang Mingming, 33, who works in the Financial Street area, said that a flexible working schedule would not resolve road congestion because in some areas traffic has been a long standing problem.

"Every day I drive my car to work and pass the West Railway Station area, I get caught for at least half an hour,"Zhang said.

The number of cars on the road is increasing, and the current road system cannot cope with so many vehicles, she said.

【Beijing prepares for September gridlock】相关文章：

★ Beijing's micro blog policy unclear for overseas users

★ School shooting suspect 'planned to kill' again

★ Hearing ends without ruling over iPad name

★ White House releases beer recipes

★ Fighting continues in Syria

★ More farmers for next NPC

★ Police issue warrant for former Maldives president

★ UN's Ban pushes Annan Syria plan

★ China 'plays constructive role' in G20

★ Baby formula pulled off shelves after mercury tests