The Hanoi Transport Department plans to reserve two lanes for bike drivers along To Lich River and the sidewalk around Hoa Binh Park.

Nguyen Van Manh from Cau Giay district said it would encourage people to use bicycles for exercise and for travel to work. However, Manh, who has lived near To Lich River for over 20 years, said state agencies also need to clean the polluted river.

The road alongside the river is reserved for pedestrians, but very few people use it. The other side of the road is open to motorbikes, but drivers have to drive fast to avoid the bad odor.

“If the pollution cannot be settled, the lanes for bikes won’t have much significance,” he warned.

Phan Le Binh, a transport expert, said the Hanoi Transport Department doesn’t intend to leave room on the roads now open to motorbikes and cars. The two lanes to be used are currently reserved for pedestrians, and some sections of the lanes will be reserved for bikes.

“I agree with the solution proposed by the transport department because bicycles have come back in circulation. Many people like traveling by bike as this is physical exercise. Also, they can go to office by bikes instead of motorbikes and cars,” Binh said.

Other countries are applying policies to minimize emissions from cars and motorbikes, and ease traffic jams. One of the policies is encouraging people to ride bicycles.

Singapore, for example, is encouraging walking and bike riding. There are 27,000 bike parking places at public transport points in the country, and 3,000 more places by 2025 will be located at subway stations.

In the case of Hanoi, experts believe that two lanes for bikes on a trial basis would help people change their travel habits and prompt them to shift from motorbikes to bicycles.

To discourage the use of private means of transport (car, motorbike), local authorities can also set restrictions (not allow cars to park on some streets, set up specific lanes for buses, etc). Once people find it convenient to ride bicycles, many will shift to bikes.

Vu Diep