More than half the government cars in Beijing will be banned from streets between November 1 and 6 to ensure traffic flows smoothly during the four-day China-Africa Cooperation Forum summit.

Schedules for work units, schools and department stores will also be adjusted to avoid flooding the roads, authorities said yesterday in a televised conference.

Addressing the importance of road safety during the summit, the traffic watchdog said that African leaders would be staying in several hotels throughout the city, and may need to commute long distances to attend activities.

Specifically, the plan stipulates that half of all vehicles owned by work units of State and Party institutions, or to military forces and their affiliated enterprises, will be banned from the streets during those six days.

80 per cent of government vehicles will also be banned from every suburb and county in Beijing Municipality, and from the Beijing offices of every other province and municipality.

For privately-owned and company cars, drivers are recommended to avoid major routes likely to be used by foreign guests during the summit. Those routes include Chang'an Avenue, the east and west second ring roads, and the airport expressway.

Taxis without passengers are strictly banned from entering Chang'an Avenue, the east and west Second Ring Roads, Sanlihe Street, the roads to the east and west of Tian'anmen Square, and the road to the west of the Great Hall of the People.

All drivers are also encouraged to avoid the main airport expressway, and instead are urged to use the northern road that also links the airport to the city.

(China Daily October 26, 2006)