Capital to spend US$2.5b for cleaner air in 2016

Municipal authorities in Beijing say they are still studying the possibility of charging a congestion fee in the capital.

File photo of Li Shixiang, vice mayor of Beijing. [Photo: bjzq.com.cn]

Li Shixiang, vice mayor of Beijing, made the remark at the ongoing annual meetings of the local legislature and political advisory body.

Li says there is not a timetable yet for the move.

The official notes that in a super city such as Beijing, it needs multiple measures, rather than charging the congestion fee alone, to curb the environmental problem.

Meanwhile it's also been reported the city is going to invest around 16.5 billion yuan (US$2.5 billion) this year to improve air quality.

The funds will be used to cut back on coal use and eliminate outmoded vehicles in the capital.

The city government has promised to remove 200,000 high-emission vehicles from the roads, as well as to promote the use of clean energy in 400 villages this year.

Official numbers show the average density of PM2.5 in Beijing last year declined by 6.2 percent year on year.

Beijing aims for a year-on-year drop of 5 percent in its average PM2.5 reading in 2016.