Heavier fines for heavy vehicles 'will not make any difference'

Overweight trucks passing through the capital will soon face a tougher fine system that charges an extra 100 yuan for follow-up offences, the traffic management bureau announced Tuesday.

The new rule is a continuation of a local authority campaign against illegally overloaded trucks inside the city perimeter, most of which are transporting groceries, fresh flowers and furniture to and from other regions. Although the trucks keep many local logistics firms alive, traffic authorities view them as a potential road hazard for Beijing.

Drivers of these trucks often break the city's traffic rules by entering downtown areas to cut costs. Authorities previously charged 200 yuan for one offence, but made no further punishment if the driver continued to run illegally in Beijing on the same trip.