VietNamNet Bridge – Director of the Hanoi Police Bureau has instructed to inspect cyclos, seized illegal cyclos and gradually ban cyclos in Hanoi.

Foreign visitors are interested in cyclos.

Lieutenant-general Nguyen Duc Nhanh, Director of the Hanoi Police Bureau, said at a meeting last week that though only 324 cyclos are licensed to serve tourists, there are over 1,000 cyclos in Hanoi.

“The culture sector argued that cyclos are the characteristics of Hanoi, but many people said that the existence of cyclos is inappropriate and they hinder traffic in the capital city,” Mr. Nhanh said.

According to Hanoi’s rules, cyclos must run in groups of five and each group must be 200m from each other, and they must have their own parking lots. However, cyclo drivers don’t obey these regulations, police officials stressed at the meeting.

Also under regulations, cyclo drivers must be trained and have training certificates, but many people who have certificates don’t drive cyclos, but lease their cyclos to others.

Lieutenant-general Nhanh instructed Hanoi traffic police forces to inspect the operation of cyclos, seize illegal cyclos and gradually ban cyclos in Hanoi.

Electric cars will replace cyclos as vehicles for tourists in Hanoi’s old quarter.

Representatives from the Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism admitted the fact that there were groups of cyclos of up to 40-50 vehicles running on the streets, barring traffic.

This agency has informed four travel firms that are licensed to offer cyclo services in Hanoi of the situation.

In 2009, at a meeting on the operation of cyclos in Hanoi, traffic police officials reported that cyclos often broke traffic rules, but when police officers stopped them for checking, foreign tourists complained. Hoan Kiem district authorities proposed to ban cyclos in the old quarter and eliminate this vehicle after 2010.

However, many people said that cyclos are the characters of Hanoi and the capital city should not eliminate them but try to better manage them.

PV