HCM City’s Transport Department has built barriers on pavements along some streets in the city centre to prevent motorists from encroaching upon them.

Barriers on pavements along some streets in the city centre to prevent motorists from encroaching upon them.

Nguyen Van Dung, deputy director of the department’s Urban Transport Management Board No 1, told HCM City Law newspaper the barriers were built on pavements along streets, including Pasteur, Ly Tu Trong and Nguyen Binh Khiem.

He said despite the ban on driving motorbikes and cars on the pavement, some drivers were violating the regulation, particularly when the streets were overcrowded and traffic jams occurred.

“The violations threaten the safety of pedestrians and damage pavements,” he said.

Dung said the barriers were high enough to prevent motorbikes from encroaching upon the pavement, but would not trouble pedestrians much.

Vo Quoc Hung, vice chairman of Ben Nghe Ward People’s Committee in District 1, said the stretch of Nguyen Binh Khiem Street passing by the Nguyen Bỉnh Khiem Primary School was usually overcrowded during peak hours and motorbike riders usually rode on the pavement.

The local committee arranged staff to detect and warn those flouting the rules, but the drivers continued to ignore them, he said.

Hưng said ever since barriers were set up on the pavement in the area, the violations had reduced sharply, with residents welcoming the move.

Government’s Decision 46/2016/NĐ-CP, effective from last August, imposed a fine of VNĐ300,000-VNĐ 400,000 (US$13 -17) on motorbike drivers who drive on the pavement and a fine of up to VNĐ1.2 million ($53) for car drivers. 

VNS