The transport sector should take synchronous measures to reduce traffic accidents and traffic jams, especially in major cities, says Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.
Mr Dung made the request at a Ministry of Transport (MoT) review conference in Hanoi on January 7.

The Government leader highlighted the sector’s achievements in 2011, especially in building transport infrastructure, cargo transportation, preventing traffic accidents and promoting traffic safety.

He said despite the current global economic downturn, the MoT’s achievements contributed significantly to the country’s socio-economic development.

PM Dung also pointed out the sector’s shortcomings, including the slow implementation of major infrastructure projects, the low quality of projects, and poor planning and management.

He asked the ministry to focus on completing the frameworks to speed up project construction and improve their quality to serve national socio-economic development, as well as building a mechanism to attract more social investment for infrastructure.

He also urged the MoT to make greater efforts to reduce traffic accidents by 5-10 percent during the Traffic Safety Year 2012.

Thanks to drastic measures taken by the MoT in 2011, the number of traffic accidents has decreased by 9.18 percent compared to 2010, with traffic fatalities down 3.8 percent and injuries down 7.37 percent.

PM Dung also granted the Independence Order, second class, to former Minister of Transport Ho Nghia Dung and the Independence Order, third class, to Deputy Minister of Transport Ngo Thinh Duc, as well as Labour Orders second and third classes to other individuals and departments at the MoT.

VOV