The municipal government of Beijing is planning to impose a set of vehicle restrictions to fight air pollution. The restrictions are expected to be imposed for the rest of the winter season as pollution is forecasted get worse due to additional demands on power plants to supply electricity for heating.

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According to Bloomberg, vehicles will not be allowed to ply Beijing's roads on alternate days - except on public holidays - depending on the last digit of their license plates.  This information is actually taken from people who refused to be named because this information is not yet made public.

China's odd-even number plate system for regulating vehicles has been used before - usually during significant events such as the APEC meeting, the Beijing Olympics, and military parades.

In December 2015, Beijing issued its second red alert warnings due to heavy air pollution.  According to pundits, the announcement signifies the government's increasing desire to show to the public that it is taking steps to deal with the environmental problems that have attended China's economic growth. Vehicular exhaust is believed to be the main contributor to the pollution along with industrial emissions.

There are speculations that the government is also studying the option of issuing license plates by auction. Beijing currently sets a yearly quota of vehicle registrations and distributes the rights by means of lottery. On the other hand, electric cars are given an exceptional quota of license plates in the lottery system and are not included in driving restrictions.

TagsVehicle Restrictions, Winter Season, License Plates, Pollution