Special measures for SCO, NCEE Beijing traffic

Special measures were announced on Monday to cope with the extra pressure likely to be placed on Beijing's traffic by major events in the capital this week.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit, scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, and the kick-off of annual National College Entrance Examinations (NCEE) on Thursday are expected to bring more vehicles to roads in the municipality.

Temporary traffic controls will be in place to ensure the 12th meeting of the Council of Heads of Member States of the SCO passes smoothly. Parents driving their children to take the NCEE are advised to depart early and avoid routes such as Chang'an Street, a major road to summit venue the Great Hall of the People, Li Shaoming, deputy chief of the city's traffic management bureau, said.

Examinees and their parents are also encouraged to take the subway instead of driving to the exam sites.

The public security bureau in Xicheng district, where one fifth of Beijing's candidates will sit the NCEE, will clear its parking lot of 100 police vehicles to make room for parents to park their cars, added Li.

Ambulances will also stand by during the two-day exam, and offer free treatment to examinees, according to the emergency rescue center of Beijing. The center has banned ambulance drivers from using their sirens during the two days to avoid disturbing the students.

The NCEE, also known as "gaokao" in Chinese, is regarded as a destiny-shaping event for high schoolers. More than 70,000 students in Beijing will take the exam on Thursday and Friday.