Beijing says no extension of car controls post Games

BEIJING (Reuters) - Olympic host city Beijing has no plans to extend traffic control measures that have seen half the cars taken off the roads past the Games, despite their success at curbing pollution and congestion, an official said on Wednesday. But Zhou Zhengyu, deputy head of the Beijing Municipal Committee of Communications, added he hoped citizens would continue talking public transport of their own will and leave their cars at home voluntarily once the Olympics finish.

Under the rules, in force from July 20 to September 20, cars are banned on alternate days depending on whether their license plates end in odd or even numbers, part of emergency steps taken by Beijing to ease smog levels that could affect athletes.

"These restrictive steps, we have called temporary measures," Zhou told a news conference. "At present, we will stick to the measures as announced."

Many who first complained the restrictions were inconvenient, especially car owners, now realize taking public transport is not so bad after all, as the benefits to the environment can so clearly be seen in the reduction in pollution, he added.

Last month Beijing had 26 "blue sky" days, which China terms as "days with fairly good air quality", three days more than in July last year. The first three days of August had "top level air quality", according to state media.

"A change is happening in people who are learning about public transport over the Olympics," Zhou said. "We hope that through the Olympics even more people can see the positive side of public transport."

He admitted he could have his work cut out for him in a country whose booming economy is putting money in people's pockets for the first time and fuelling a rapid growth in car sales.

"Twenty years ago people wanted to buy household appliances. Now our economy has reached the stage where people want to buy cars," Zhou said.

Beijing's streets regularly grind to a standstill under a crush of traffic, even when it is not rush hour. Many people view public transport, like the crowded bus and subway system, as something to avoid if possible.

Yet Zhou said the government was committed to getting people to use public transport, backed by a further massive investment in subways and suburban railways in particular, and by keeping ticket prices low.

"Our aim is the increase from 35 percent the proportion of people using public transport to 45 percent," he said. "Ticket prices are one part of the strategy, and is not just a short term plan for the Olympics."

(Editing by Alex Richardson)