A Shenzhen driver became the first to be penalized in Guangzhou on Saturday when a second trial of traffic control allowing private cars with even and odd license plates to drive on alternate days.
There was a sharp increase in traffic offenses in Guangzhou on Saturday. Among the offenders, most were again from outside Guangzhou, as happened in the first trial in July, although police had published the traffic restrictions in the media.
The Shenzhen driver, identified only as Ding, was intercepted by police for a second time Saturday at 8:50 a.m.
I was driving to Guangzhou Railway Station to pick up friends, but I was going the wrong way and couldn t leave Guangzhou in the half hour after I was warned by police, Ding told police.
He was fined 200 yuan (US$30) and had three points from the yearly 12 deducted from his driver s license.
Ding was given the police warning at about 8:15 a.m. He was told to either park his car in a car park or drive out of Guangzhou within 30 minutes, otherwise he would be punished.
I thought I could drive to the station and leave Guangzhou within 30 minutes, but I was wrong, said Ding.
To reduce the number of penalties on drivers with non-Guangzhou registered cars, police had set up signs to divert vehicles at entrances to expressways leading to Guangzhou.
To solve the problem of a shortage of police, Guangzhou police will install an automatic car plate identifying system on the eve of the Asian Games that will open in November.
The restrictions are designed to relieve traffic jams and improve bus efficiency by 10 percent and stimulate taxi business, according to the Guangzhou transport commission.
(By Han Ximin)
