Work has begun on keeping beggars, hawkers and advertising fliers out of downtown Beijing to ensure fluid communication and a better image for the capital, according to the office for 2008 environment-friendly Olympics.

The municipal's bureau of industry and commerce, together with the department of public security, will strive to put an end to illegal activities within the city's Second Ring Road, such as begging, hawking, handing out advertising fliers on major roads and running unlicensed taxis.

The Beijing Civil Affairs Bureau plans to make more effort this year to accommodate handicapped people, the elderly and homeless children. The bureau will try to send these urban vagrants home free of charge.

Within the Fourth Ring, the priority is cracking down on drunk driving, unlicensed driving and the absence of number plates, in the hope of reducing accidents.

Jaywalking and non-motor vehicles disregarding red lights are also problems, said sources with the office for 2008 environment-friendly Olympics, adding that they aim to make 90 percent of pedestrians and non-motor vehicles abide by traffic laws within the Fifth Ring.

(Xinhua News Agency March 2, 2007)