Faced with often catastrophic air pollution, Beijing is considering taking a page out of London's playbook: a congestion fee for car owners.

A notice published on the Beijing government website (in Chinese) late Monday said the city is mulling a policy to impose a congestion fee for cars as it aims to keep less than 6 million vehicles licensed by the end of 2017, from about 5.35 million now.

"Whoever pollutes the air is responsible to clean it up," the state-run China Daily on Tuesday quoted Fang Li, spokesman for the Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau, as saying. The notice didn't specify how the fees would be imposed or paid.

Auto emissions account for one-third of PM2.5—particulate matter measuring less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter—in most congested areas in Beijing.

According to the notice, the congestion fee is part of the city's broader five-year plan to clean up its heavily polluted air and which also targets power plants, oil refiners, cement makers and restaurants. The municipal government of Beijing pledges to reduce the density of PM2.5 by at least 25% by 2017.