Cars heading for 3-million milestone in Beijing

BEIJING, March 2 (Reuters) With 1,110 cars and other vehicles taking to Beijing's roads each day, the total number in the capital will top the 3-million mark some time in May, Xinhua news agency said.

Song Jianguo, director of the municipal traffic management bureau, said there were 2.925 million motor vehicles in the gridlocked city and the number would reach 3.5 million before next year's Beijing Olympics.

''Experts warn that congestion is an increasingly intractable problem in Beijing, and are talking up the public transit option,'' Xinhua said.

Beijing would provide subsidies totalling 1.3 billion yuan (166 million dollars) to bus companies this year, allowing them to offer discounts to over 9 million commuters.

Car fumes are a major cause of pollution in the city, along with coal-burning stoves, power plants and construction dust.

Many of the new cars taking to the roads are owned by a newly rich middle class with little experience of driving.

Reuters DH VP0428