'High-beam' policies please

With the aim of reducing congestion and combating air pollution, China's northern city of Tianjin has become the latest to try and limit the number of cars on its roads. The city authorities announced on Sunday that from the following day motorists would have to obtain a license plate by either bidding in an auction or taking part in a lottery, and cars will be banned from the road for one day a week according to the last digit of their number plate starting March 1. The announcement led to a rush of people buying new vehicles in the city.

The restrictions might be considered an early decision, but more long-term strategies need to be considered, says a commentary in People's Daily.

The traffic pressure in Tianjin is already heavy - the city's population is 14 million and there are 2.4 million motor vehicles and 50,000 large trucks on the roads - and the authorities have to address traffic congestion in a more fundamental way.