VietNamNet Bridge – The Government has asked the two largest cities in Vietnam to continue studies on the change of working and school hours to reduce traffic congestion, without affect local people’s daily life.

Hanoi to change working hours as of February 1

Change of working time needs consent of Hanoi & Transport Ministry 

 

 

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has signed an action program to ensure traffic order and safety and reduce traffic congestion in 2013. Accordingly, the government has asked relevant agencies and each province to seriously implement the program to strive to decrease traffic accidents from 5 - 10% annually.

HCM City and Hanoi are required to coordinate with the Ministry of Public Security to evaluate the impact of the adjustment of working and schooling hours in the areas in recent years. At the same time, they are requested to continue research on the change of working and school hours in order to limit the flow of vehicles during rush hours, without disturbing local people’s daily life.

Previously, Ho Chi Minh City changed the working and school hours in 2001. Accordingly, the school times of different education levels are shifted from 15 to 30 minutes. However, after many years of implementation, the efficiency gain from this solution is not high.

Also in Hanoi, in February 2012, 10 inner districts and the 2 suburban districts of Tu Liem and Thanh Tri district began to change school and working hours. Universities, colleges, vocational and job training schools and high schools start school before 7am and close after 7pm. The pre-schools, primary schools and secondary schools start from 8am and ends at 5 pm. However, just a after later, Hanoi had to change the school hours for high schools from 7am to 6pm, instead of 7pm.

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tuong, Deputy head of the HCM City traffic safety committee, says that the city has made the shift differences (mainly for the workers) but the industrial zones and export processing zones are concentrated in the suburbs, so this solution does not solve congestion in the city. The city has assigned the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs to research of change working hours of civil servants.

The government also assigned the Ministry of Transportation to design the plans to restrict personal vehicles in big cities.

In addition, the Prime Minister also asked the Ministry of Public Security to strengthen inspection, and strictly handle violations of traffic police forces. The Ministry of Finance is assigned to amend the regulations on registration fees for the vehicles.

Le Ha