From July 20 to September 20, some traffic lanes in Beijing will be designated exclusively for Olympic vehicles, the municipal traffic authority announced on Thursday.

According to the new regulation, the leftmost lanes of some streets will be marked as Olympic lanes with road surface painting and roadside signs of the five-ring-logo as well as yellow sidelines, the Beijing Morning Post reported.

If the signs on a specific lane indicate a period of time of restriction, it can be used by private vehicles and pedestrians at the time other than the restricted hours. Otherwise it will be cordoned off all day long for Olympic use only.

If the street with an Olympic lane also has a bus lane, non-Olympic vehicles are permitted to use the bus lane temporarily during the restriction period.

The restrictions will be applied in different streets in different times based on the needs of the Olympic Games, such as the arrival and departure of participants or transiting athletes for training and competitions.

The Olympic lanes will also remain open to police wagons, fire engines, ambulances, breakdown assistance vehicles and vehicles with a pass to the opening and closing ceremony of the Olympics or Paralympics, but only on the day the ceremony is held.

Those who break the law and enter the Olympic lane will be punished as per relevant laws, an official with the municipal traffic authority said.

The use of exclusive Olympic traffic lanes has been a long-standing practice in host cities. Beijing was required to do so as per its Olympic bid, the official added.

Beijing has been taking various measures to ensure smooth traffic and clean air during the Olympic Games. Last month the officials announced a temporary control which restrict owners of private cars to driving on alternate days, depending on whether the last number of their license plate is even or odd.

(CRIENGLISH.com July 4, 2008)