Car limits result in public transit record

The number of people taking public transportation reached a record high for the year as Beijing imposed traffic restrictions in advance of the Sept 3 military parade, prompting an increase in subway train capacity and safety measures.

On Aug 20, the first day the odd-and-even license plate rule was imposed, more than 24 million people traveled on public transportation, a record high for this year, the Beijing Commission of Transportation said. More than 11 million used rail transit, a 10 percent increase from the previous Thursday.

The number of cars on the city's roads was expected to drop by 35 percent to 50 percent from Aug 20 to Sept 3 during two events - IAAF World Championships in Athletics and the parade marking the 70th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the commission said.