CHANGSHA: Traffic will be a major challenge for Beijing during its hosting of the 2008 Games, a member of a visiting International Olympic Committee (IOC) delegation said at the weekend.

Peter Tallberg, chairman of the IOC Athlete's Commission, expressed his concern over road congestion in the capital when asked what Beijing should be paying special attention to.

"One problem which we all realize now in Beijing would be traffic, so that's one of the big problems," the former Olympic sailor said.

Tallberg was in Changsha, together with six other IOC members, at the invitation of the Fifth Chinese City Games Organizing Committee.

Although Tallberg has been to Beijing many times on business, this is his first time to the central Chinese city in an IOC capacity.

The IOC member since 1976, however, also expressed optimism over the Beijing organizing committee's capability to overcome the traffic problem.

Although many new roads have been built or streets widened in recent years - especially since the capital won the Olympics - Beijingers are buying more cars.

By August, 2 million automobiles were registered in Beijing, of which some 800,000 were private cars, according to the Beijing Municipal Traffic Commission.

As a result, traffic jams continue to be a big headache for the city. In rush hour, it takes three or four times longer to get around downtown.

The traffic commission, headed by Zhao Wenzhi, has proposed a 10-point plan to tackle the deteriorating situation.

According to Zhao's report, presented to the Beijing Municipal People's Congress late last month, Beijing could raise charges for private car licences as well as slap a so-called "road congestion fee" on private car owners.

The proposal met strong opposition and criticism from many private car owners, as well as some leading traffic experts including Professor Mao Baohua, vice-president of the School of Traffic and Transportation at Beijing Jiaotong University.

Xinhua

(China Daily 10/20/2003 page3)