BEIJING TAKES 1.15 MILLION CARS OFF THE STREET TO REDUCE POLLUTION BEFORE OLYMPICS

Judging by the pictures, it really seems to be working.

The roads were unusually clear but skies remained stubbornly smoggy in Beijing today at the start of an attempt to curb smog before the Olympics begin in three weeks.

The final stage of the programme, which began yesterday, saw half the city's 3.3m cars banned from the roads each day, depending on whether their number plates end in an odd or even digit.

City authorities hope the measure, which is enforced by thousands of number plate recognition cameras and the threat of a 100 yuan (£7.30) fine, will reduce vehicle emissions by more than 60%.

Beijing is one of the world's most polluted cities and road traffic grows by 1,200 vehicles a day. August, when the wind drops and the normally dry climate turns humid, is typically one of the worst months for smog.

A haze of pollution during the games would be a major public relations setback for the government, which is desperate to use the event as a showcase for China's recent development.

It's like trying to cover a goiter with a band-aid.