VietNamNet Bridge – Ha Noi Police are to crack down on coaches and motorbikes that break traffic laws starting this week. This is to ensure road safety during the lunar New Year festival in early February.


Policemen fine traffic violators on Pham Hung Street in Ha Noi's Cau Giay District. Ha Noi Police are to start tightening the enforcement of traffic laws. (Photo: VNS)
The municipal Department of Transport deputy chief inspector Hoang Van Manh said intercity coaches illegally picking up and dropping passengers and overloading their vehicles with passengers would be fined.


To minimise traffic jams resulting from the dramatic increase in vehicles on the roads during the Tet holiday, police will also divide busy roads and intersections into several lanes.


In addition, traffic accident black spots in the city will be heavily patrolled. Police will take precautions to prevent illegal motorbike racing and ensure order in crowded public places, such as Tet flower gardens and parks, Manh said.


An official from the Coach Management Board who wished to be anonymous said that the huge increase in the number of road users during the holiday was the main reason why coaches violated traffic laws.

Ban on trucks, buses

From January 26 to February 2, trucks with a loading capacity of more than one tonne and coaches with 25 seat s or more will be banned from 6am to 9pm on belt road No2, including Minh Khai, Dai La, Truong Chinh, Lang, Buoi and Lac Long Quan streets.

These vehicles will be also banned on busy streets including Kim Ma, Le Duan, Giai Phong, Bach Mai, Dai Co Viet, Kim Nguu, Ton Duc Thang, Thai Ha, Pham Hung, Nguyen Chi Thanh, the Old Quarter, the area of Hoan Kiem and West Lake.

In addition, the vehicles will be banned on the Phap Van-Thanh Tri-Highway No5 route, the Highway No5-Vinh Tuy Bridge-Nguyen Khoai-Minh Khai-Tam Trinh-Phap Van-Highway No1 route.

Trucks and coaches will be required to follow the Ngoc Hoi-Le Trong Tan-Khuat Duy Tien-Pham Van Dong route or Thang Long Boulevard-Highway No21-Highway No32 route or vice versa. Coaches will be allowed to operate from 9pm to 6am and from 9am to 3pm on Nghiem Xuan Yem, Nguyen Xien, Khuat Duy Tien, Pham Hung and Pham Van Dong streets.


"Some are willing to violate the law to increase profits although they may face heavy fines or have their licence revoked," he said.


The limited numbers of high-quality buses on some routes forced passengers to choose unlicensed private coaches, he added.


Nguyen Thanh Hang, an immigrant worker in Ha Noi, said she was of overfull coaches each time she returned to her hometown in northern Vinh Phuc Province for the holiday.


"It's hard to find a seat. Most people have to stand. Finding a good quality coach is almost impossible at that time," she said.


Last lunar New Year festival, city police handed out nearly VND180 million (US$9,180) in fines for about 1,240 traffic violations. Most were for buses exceeding capacity, driving in the wrong lane or parking illegally.


VietNamNet/Viet Nam News