A Beijing media company said it will start a trial scheme to install televisions in the city's taxis and light rail network to provide on-board entertainment for passengers.

"We want to enrich the passengers' journeys with public information and entertainment," said Wang Ying, spokeswoman of Beijing All Media and Culture Mobile TV Co. Ltd.

The company is currently in talks with taxi companies about the move and is hoping it will be able to install television screens in 3,000 taxis by the end of this year.

It also hopes to launch a trial scheme in the capital's light railway trains before National Day on October 1, she said.

In-house television shows produced by the company, mainly lifestyle programmes and public information, have already been shown on screens aboard some 2,000 buses in Beijing and the company wants to double the number by the end of the year.

"During the rain storm season in July, our broadcast of the weather forecast and road conditions were very helpful for the passengers," Wang said.

"Even when they are stuck in the traffic jams they have updated information about the situation outside."

The number of cars in Beijing topped two million this year and chronic road congestion means people are often stuck in traffic while travelling to and from work.

(Agencies  August 23, 2004)