Traffic police in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province, began providing temporary parking spaces to drivers in need of the toilet on Wednesday.

Up to 50 parking places where temporary stopping is permitted were provided on the city's main streets near public toilets.

A local driver surnamed Wang said that he spotted one of the spaces while driving around Xian's third ring road.

"I used it, free of charge and knew I would not be fined for parking in the busy street," he said, gladly.

Ye Changqing, a traffic police officer, said that his detachment had determined the safest places to provide temporary parking.

"The spaces can be easily found as there are yellow lines and signs saying for toilet use only. But parking is only allowed for 15 minutes, those who stop for longer will be fined," he said.

There are 1,373 public toilets in Xian's urban area, said Ye, adding that traffic police would continue to look for more suitable temporary parking places nearby that drivers could use.