Tianjin to limit number of vehicles
Government in northern Chinese city to halve the number of vehicles allowed on roads, limit manufacturing activities, and postpone large-scale outdoor activities in bid to reduce emissions
The government of Tianjin in China will limit the number of vehicles allowed on roads in the latest attempt to fight pollution, according to state media reports on Monday.
On days of heavy smog, the government will halve the number of vehicles allowed on roads by restricting licence plate numbers, limiting construction and manufacturing activities, closing schools for the day, and postponing large-scale outdoor activities, the official Xinhua news agency said.
The government in China is aiming to reverse some of the damage done to its environment by decades of economic and industrial growth.
The regions of Beijing, Hebei and Tianjin have been identified as key targets of a programme to reduce emissions from industries including steel, thermal power and cement.
A pollution watchdog found last month that an estimated one third of the pollution in Beijing comes from outside the city.
Tianjin banned new construction of steel and cement plants last month, following similar policies in Hebei province and Beijing, and the ban is in line with a government plan last year to restrict new manufacturing in key industrial centres.
Recent public anger over pollution has sparked protests and the government has vowed to address the environmental agenda.