Private cars remain popular in Beijing despite heavy smog_美文

Private cars remain popular in Beijing despite heavy smog

The real-time traffic index reached no higher than 3.9 last weekend, while most other weekends reached no lower than 5.

But the index increased sharply on Monday to 6.1 during rush hour, about 8 am, making it the third-most-crowded Monday this year.

A commission insider said the reduced traffic over the weekend and increased traffic on Monday indicate that when people need to get around, private vehicles remain their first choice.

"Most people stayed away from being outdoors last weekend because smog clung to the city for days in a row, but when people need to get to work, most still use their own vehicles," Hu said.

The commission said the government will further enlarge the city's public transportation system to attract more commuters and reduce the amount of exhaust emissions from private vehicles.

In response to the lingering smog, the government has advised children and the elderly to stay indoors and wear masks when outside. Kindergartens and primary and middle schools were advised to reduce outdoor activities.

The city has ordered 36 companies to halt production and another 75 to reduce it as part an emergency response plan.

Meanwhile, subway Line 5 broke down on Monday morning because of signal failure, making many commuters late for work.

It is not the first time the city's subway system has broken down. Heavy passenger volume has caused signal failures in the past year, which in turn have forced the subway to suspend operation, delaying thousands of commuters.