China wants to restrict the traffic with diesel trucks and instead relies on an increased freight transport by freight trains. Diesel trucks, which did not meet the government emission requirements, would not be re-registered, according to guidelines published yesterday by the Ministry of the Environment. At the same time, the quality of the diesel fuel should be improved in order to reduce the exhaust gases.
In the north of the country, which is particularly affected by the smog, more than one million trucks with outdated diesel technology should be phased out by the end of next year. In addition, stricter controls would be introduced.
More transports by ship or train
According to the document, rail freight transport is to be increased by about one third compared to 2017. Especially with longer distances must be increasingly placed on freight trains or ships.
Diesel trucks, according to the Beijing Ministry of the Environment, account for about eight percent of total car traffic in the country, but account for nearly 60 percent of harmful nitrogen dioxide emissions.
