Speaking at a press briefing held by the Hanoi Party Committee on August 7, Nguyen Minh Tan, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Environment, said the low-emission zone pilot area has been equipped with road signs, charging stations, battery-swapping cabinets, vehicle parking facilities, public bicycles and park-and-ride sites.

Around the Hoan Kiem Lake pedestrian zone, the Old Quarter and the night market, Hanoi bans motorcycles and cars from 7pm to midnight on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings.

Hanoi currently has 220 vehicle parking locations. Its public bicycle, e-bike and electric motorcycle network comprises 171 stations and locations with 1,820 vehicles. Hoan Kiem and Cua Nam wards alone have 44 stations and locations with 456 vehicles.

The Department of Construction has designated 10 park-and-ride locations linked to public transport in areas including Long Bien - Yen Phu, Tran Khat Chan, Cau Giay, Tran Khanh Du, Tran Quang Khai and Thu Le Park - Buoi Road. Residents can leave their private vehicles at these sites and continue their journeys by bus, urban railway, bicycle or other forms of green transport.

According to Tan, the existing network of more than 10,200 charging ports can serve around 130,000 electric cars, well above the approximately 71,900 currently operating in the city. Around 1,650 battery-swapping cabinets can accommodate about 82,500 electric motorcycles, although current demand remains relatively low as most users still charge their batteries directly.

During the pilot period, the department will continue working with local authorities and businesses to complete and put into operation approved charging stations and battery-swapping cabinets. It will also review actual demand to expand the network at suitable locations, supporting the transition to green transportation.

AI cameras could eventually identify vehicles that fail to meet emission requirements

So far, the Department of Agriculture and Environment has led the installation of six sensor devices in Hoan Kiem Ward. In the coming period, the department will deploy one vehicle for continuous automated air-quality monitoring and add eight sensor devices funded by France in and around the low-emission zone pilot area. It is also coordinating with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to deploy 39 sensor devices.

“Indicators including air quality, traffic volume, travel speeds, congestion levels, public transport usage, satisfaction among residents and businesses, and the effectiveness of communications will be monitored and compiled periodically to assess the impact of the project,” Tan said.

The project's effectiveness will be assessed using specific data, including baseline figures collected before implementation, data gathered during the rollout and figures recorded after vehicle restriction measures are introduced. This will provide Hanoi with a scientific basis for evaluating emission reductions and adjusting measures where necessary.

In the coming period, Hanoi will accelerate the installation of AI cameras at entry points to the pilot area, complete its low-emission zone management module and automatic license plate recognition system, and connect data on vehicle registration, roadworthiness inspections and emissions testing.

“After one month of implementing the project, we have seen support from both road users and residents living in the area,” the deputy director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment said.

Under the roadmap, Hanoi will expand the low-emission zone to the entire area within Ring Road 1 by 2028.

Asked by reporters how vehicles that fail to meet emissions standards could be identified, Tan said advances in science and technology mean AI cameras are gradually making such identification possible.

“During implementation, the department will coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the Ministry of Construction and the police to further develop the technology as well as management, monitoring, identification and data connectivity, helping put this policy into practice,” Tan said.

Thanh Hue