By Sim Chi Yin, China Correspondent

BEIJING: For the first time since the Paralympics ended, Beijingers woke up to less congested roads and - hopefully - fresher air this morning as new traffic restrictions kicked in.

Some 800,000 government vehicles, and corporate and private cars are being ordered off the roads every weekday, according to the last digit of their licence plates.

Cars whose number plates end with the digits one or six are banned from roads on Mondays, those ending with two or seven on Tuesdays, three or eight on Wednesdays, four or nine on Thursdays and five or zero on Fridays.

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