Less congested roads

Road traffic was generally smooth during the Monday morning peak hour.

Many drivers found themselves had arrived at the destination earlier than usual.

"It used to take me 45 minutes to drive to my company, but today it took only 25 minutes," said Lu Tian, a local resident.

However, brief jams were reported on the second and third ring roads around central Beijing.

In Guang'anmen, on the western Second Ring Road, cars were moving slowly.

"The road is less congested today and the car is at least moving," said a driver surnamed Wang.

Some drivers complained the jams were due to the ban on using the Olympic traffic lanes, which have been reserved for authorized Olympic vehicles.

The lanes were designated from July 20 to September 20 for Olympic vehicles, police cars, fire engines, ambulances, breakdown assistance vehicles, and vehicles with passes to the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics and Paralympics.