Effectiveness of government enforcement in driving restrictions: a case in Beijing, China

Xueying Lu ()

Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, 2016, vol. 18, issue 1, 63-92

Abstract: During the Olympic Games in 2008, a driving restriction based on vehicle license plate numbers was implemented in Beijing to mitigate air pollution and traffic congestion. Following the Games, the restriction was modified several times. This paper investigates the effects of two policy changes: a weakening policy change due to a shorter restricted time period, and a strengthening policy change due to a higher penalty for violators and the complementary car purchasing restriction. By employing a regression discontinuity design in a Tobit model, I find that the weakening policy change led to more pollution and the strengthening policy change improved air quality in restricted areas. Several robustness checks confirm the results. I also provide suggestive evidence that driving restrictions increased the use of public transportation and alleviated traffic congestion. Copyright Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies and Springer Japan 2016

Keywords: Driving restrictions; Air pollution; Public transportation; Regression discontinuity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1007/s10018-015-0112-7

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