A proposal from a student in Beijing suggesting all public vehicles be fitted with an identifiable red license plate has sparked heated discussion online, following recent reports of private use of public cars during Spring Festival.

Luan Songwei, a sixth-grade pupil at Erligou Primary School in Haidian district, made the suggestion after he noted many public vehicles were used to pick up his classmates outside the school gate, Beijing Morning Post reported.

After research, he advised the government to use red license plates for all public vehicles to resolve the traffic jams and pollution problems caused by the inappropriate use of those vehicles.