New car numbers surge in Beijing last week

Beijing saw 18,000 new cars, or about 2,571 per day, on roads in the past week, said sources with Beijing Traffic Management Bureau Wednesday.

The increase was nearly 50 percent higher than the daily average of 1,900 new cars on the roads for the first three quarters of the year.

Aside from the sharp rise in cars on the roads, about 10,000 people obtained driving licenses last week, according to the sources.

By Nov. 21, there were 4.67 million cars and 6.197 million people with driving license in Beijing. The bureau predicted that, by the end of this year, the total amount of cars in Beijing would reach 5 million.

"Taxes soon to be increased on large cars and the rumor that Beijing might increase the license fee for cars in 2011 resulted in more new cars purchased," said Guo Yong of Beijing Asian Games Village Auto Market, one of the largest auto sellers in Beijing.

China's top legislature last month released a draft law on vehicle and vessel taxation. The draft law reduces taxes on energy-saving and clean energy-powered vehicles and increases taxes on large cars.

Beijing is among the most congested cities in the world. It has moved to ease congestion by implementing measures such as odd-even number traffic controls, the introduction of staggered working hours and increased parking fees in downtown areas.