Government workers in Beijing have been forced out of their cars and onto the pavements in a bid to clean up the air of one of the world's most polluted cities ahead of the Olympic Games in August.

The Beijing city government announced today that it had ordered half its cars off the road ahead of the Games in seven weeks' time. The selected government and Communist Party cars will be banished to garages until July 19, when a second regulation kicks in that will cut traffic levels in half. The city's 3.3 million drivers will then be allowed to use their vehicles only on odd or even days, depending on their license plate numbers.

Chinese officials hope the move will assuage international concerns over the poor air quality in the city. Satellite data from the European Space Agency has shown the Chinese capital and neighbouring provinces to have the world's highest levels of nitrogen dioxide, which can cause fatal damage to the lungs.

In April, Olympic chief Jacques Rogge warned that outdoor events over one hour in length might have to be postponed if conditions are poor because of the risk to athletes' health. The marathon, road cycling, triathlon, race walking and open water swimming are the events most at risk.

Though China pledged to spend $3.36 billion on reducing air pollution ahead of what it has hailed as the "Green Games", the brownish yellow smog that frequently descends on the city of 11 million people shows little sign of dispersing. The air quality worsens whenever there is no wind or rain, allowing ozone and dust particles to accumulate to levels two or three times beyond that of World Health Organisation recommendations.

The Chinese Academy on Environmental Planning classifies the city's air as "very dangerous" while the International Medical Centre in Beijing recommends that exercise be taken inside.

However the Chinese government is determined that its anti-pollution plan will bring air quality up to an acceptable standard by the start of the Games. As well as the restrictions on government and personal vehicles, 300,000 of the most polluting vehicles - largely ageing industrial trucks - will be banned from July 1, while construction and heavy industry will be halted for the duration of the Games.

“To meet the air quality standards and to realize safe and smooth traffic is our solemn promise to the international community,” Beijing city government said in a statement.

Last week, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Environmental Protection said that air quality had improved in the run-up to the Games. It said the city had had 115 "blue sky days" between January 1 and June 18, 12 more than in the same period last year.

They also hope that the motoring restrictions during the Games will show immediate benefit. During a test of the alternate day vehicle ban in August last year, about 1.3 million cars were taken off the city roads each day and the amount of pollutants discharged was cut by 5,815 tonnes, according to a report by the Bureau.

Times Recommends

• Fish and chip shops ‘selling cobbler as cod’
• T in the Park festival at Kinross
• Body Watch