Hanoi struggles to ease car density in inner city

Ta Van Thuy, an app-based taxi driver, was surprised when he saw the ‘vehicle forbidden’ signboard placed at the top of Kim Ma street, one of the few major routes that link to the central area of Hanoi.

App-based taxis are prohibited from 11 streets from 6-9 am and 4-7 pm every day. Thuy said he loses many customers from this.

With just the ‘vehicle forbidden’ signboard, Hanoi has restricted the number of vehicles entering the inner city in rush hours. The solution was surprisingly simple and effective. But HCMC still cannot find suitable remedies. 

According to the Hanoi Transport Department, with the ban, 25,000 app-based taxis in Hanoi will have to stay out of traffic in rush hours.

Another solution has been applied in Hanoi concurrently with the same purpose. Since January 1, 2018, the car storage fee in the inner city has been raised sharply. 

Under the old regulation, car owners had to pay VND30,000 for the first two hours of parking and VND20,000 for every subsequent hour. Since the beginning of 2018, they have had to pay VND25,000 for every first and second hour, VND35,000 for the third and fourth and VND45,000 for the fifth hour.

The new regulation has brought desired effects. Bui Huu Nghia, the owner of a hair salon, said. He now goes to work on motorbike or public means of transport instead of a car.

Responding to the public opposition, deputy director of the Hanoi Transport Department Ngo Manh Tuan said the decision by the municipal authorities must be observed by the department. 

Meanwhile, HCMC has only decided to stop the operation of 48 unlicensed car and motorbike parking lots in district 1. A report shows there are 24,000 app-based taxis and 11,000 traditional taxis.

HCMC is considering a solution proposed by ITD Corporation, under which vehicles entering the inner city in rush hours will have to pay VND30,000-50,000 in fees. 

A ‘central area’ which covers a part of district 1 will be set up, while the investor will set up 34 fee collection stations with investment capital of VND1.5 trillion.

ITD believes the solution will help reduce 40 percent of vehicles entering the inner city, thus easing traffic jams which cause the loss of VND140 billion to the city.

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Mai Chi