Beijing will draft legislation that public bus lanes are strictly off limits to all other vehicles at certain times in an effort to increase the efficiency of the capital's public transportation system.

Those who violate the regulation will be fined a maximum of 200 Yuan, or about US$24.

In addition, if pubic buses encounter roadblocks, they are only allowed to temporarily use adjoining traffic lanes and must return to designated bus lanes when the obstruction is passed.

Beijing has 150 kilometers of public buses lanes, which carry 30,000 buses.

(CRI.com August 1, 2004)