Editing Transport in Beijing (section)

===Traffic congestion===
{{update section|date=May 2018}}
Beijing as of 2011 has an estimated 5 million registered cars on its roads, so [[traffic congestion]] is widespread. Traffic in the city centre is often gridlocked and is only predicted to get worse as the number of vehicles on Beijing's roads increase. It is predicted by 2016 Beijing will have over 6 million cars on its roads.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2012-02/16/c_122713279.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130207230018/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2012-02/16/c_122713279.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 7, 2013|title=Beijing car ownership exceeds 5 mln }}</ref> To combat congestion the local government has rapidly been building the subway system adding more lines and working towards doubling the length of the subway system by 2015. In addition to this they have decreased the cost of fares in an attempt to encourage more people to use public transport. In 2008 Beijing introduced restrictions on the number of cars on its roads in attempt to reduce congestion and pollution during the Olympic games period. They did this by adopting odd-even traffic restriction on alternative days. Cars with number plates ending with odd numbers were restricted one day and the next day cars with number plates ending with even numbers were restricted. Drivers who were unable to use their cars did not have to pay road or vehicle taxes, costing the city around 1.3 billion yuan.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-olympics-traffic/beijing-to-launch-olympic-odd-even-traffic-ban-jul-20-idUSPEK1121120080620|title=Beijing to launch Olympic odd-even car ban in July|last=Mulvenney|first=Nick|date=19 Jun 2008|work=Reuters|access-date=2018-03-19}}</ref> On Feb 21, 2022, Beijing experienced its worst traffic in five years due to the beginning of school and [[2022 Winter Olympics|reserved Olympic lanes remaining closed]] to the public.<ref>{{Cite web |last=irenelovesya |date=2022-02-21 |title=Beijing Experienced Its Worst Traffic In Five Years Today |url=https://www.thebeijinger.com/blog/2022/02/21/beijing-worst-traffic-pressure-five-years |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=www.thebeijinger.com |language=EN}}</ref>