VietNamNet Bridge – From April 1, all officials and government employees of Hoi An ancient town will have to go to work by bicycles, said Hoi An Party Chief – Mr. Nguyen Su.

Su added that employees of the Party Committee of Hoi An would have to go to office by bicycles from March 15, officials of communes and wards from March 20 and employees of other state agencies from April 1.

"All teachers, whose distance from their home to the school is less than 3km, will have to use bicycle," he said.

"I have gone to work by bike already. Officials and public employees must buy bikes by their own money, absolutely not using state funds," he added.

The use of bikes, according to the Hoi An authorities, is to contribute to environmental protection and to build Hoi An as an ecological, cultural and tourism city.

There are over 1,600 people working in party and government agencies in Hoi An. Hoi An is also the first city in Vietnam launching the event "Car Free Day” on September 9, 2012.

In Quang Nam province, besides Hoi An town, many public servants in Tam Ky City have gone to work by bike.

Tran Cham