There are fears that traffic could present a major problem during next year's Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo ©Getty Images

A plan to restrict use of Tokyo's Metropolitan Expressway during next year's Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo to help ease traffic restrictions based upon the random selection of private vehicle licence plates is set to be scrapped, it has been reported in Japan. 

Tokyo 2020 and the Japanese and Tokyo Metropolitan Governments had been studying the proposal for more than a year.

Along with the heat, traffic congestion is seen as potentially the biggest obstacle to the Japanese capital hosting a successful Olympic and Paralympic Games.

It is feared that traffic on Tokyo's already busy expressways could double during Games-time unless countermeasures are put in place.

But, restricting the use of vehicles based on their licence plates is now not considered an option, Japanese news agency Jiji Press reported.

It is feared it would require too much equipment and too many staff to run such a scheme efficiently. 

Several initiatives have been proposed to try to help ease the flow of traffic during Tokyo 2020 ©Getty Images
Several initiatives have been proposed to try to help ease the flow of traffic during Tokyo 2020 ©Getty Images

Other plans to reduce traffic include increased highway tolls and improved public transport using buses, trains and boats.

Hundreds of thousands of people will also be asked to work from home during the Games, with others taking holiday.

Setting up lanes which can only be used by officials and athletes, an initiative used at other Olympic Games, is not deemed feasible.

This is due to the number of lanes on Tokyo roads, including the Metropolitan Expressway, being relatively small. 

The Japanese Government are expected to present their latest proposals on easing traffic during Tokyo 2020 at a meeting tomorrow.