Traffic congestion in Hanoi has long been a problem, and urbanplanners are struggling to find immediate strategies or a long-termsolution to address the issue.
Experts at Mar. 15 aworkshop yesterday in Hanoi jointly held by the ministries ofConstruction and Transport and Health Bridge Canada said they donot expect an improvement in the next five or 10 years if trafficinfrastructure does not change.
The congestion could beattributed to a variety of causes, the biggest of which being thattransportation development had failed to keep pace with the city's rapidurbanisation, Deputy Minister of Transport Truong Tan Vien said.
The lack of vision in urban planning and weaknesses in city management has also made the situation worse, he added.
Vien pointed out there was a limited amount of land designated fortraffic infrastructure in the city, only about 13 percent compared tothe standard 20-25 percent.
According to general directorof Transport Engineering Design Inc Pham Huu Son, Hanoi is facedwith a seriously under-developed "static traffic system" includingparking spaces and pavement, especially in the inner city.
The parking space currently available meets only 30 percent of thedemand. Meanwhile, private vehicles have kept increasing by 12-13percent per year, putting huge pressure on the traffic system.
In addition, although public transport is currently running at fullcapacity, the system can meet only 15 percent of the travel needs ofcity residents.
"The city seems to count on publictransport to help improve traffic," said Khuat Viet Hung from the HanoiUniversity of Transport, but "it has spent little money on developingthe system."
The fact remains that Hanoi does not have any kind of rapid mass transit, light rail transit or rapid bus transit to date.
According to Nguyen Ngoc Quang from Holland Twente University ,Hanoians prefer private motorbikes and cars because public means oftransport do not deliver them close enough to their desireddestinations.
"It often takes people longer to travel by bus to their offices every day than by private vehicle," he said.
In order to encourage people to use public transport, urban plannersmust focus on improving accessibility and extending routes to differentdestinations including schools, hospitals, parks and offices.
Kristie Deaniel from HealthBridge Canada also recommended that thecity study plans of developed cities in the world, such as Amsterdam ,to encourage people to travel on foot and by bicycles.
According to deputy director of the Hanoi Construction PlanningInstitute Le Vinh, in the next five years the city should focus oncompleting construction of ring roads and major avenues such as Lang-HoaLac, Ngo Gia Tu, Le Van Luong and Le Trong Tan streets.
The national railway, which divides the city into two parts, alsohinders movement through the urban centre and measures should be takento solve the problem, said Vinh.
"A single solution couldnever work, but a combination of long-term and immediate solutions couldhelp," said vice president of the Vietnam Federation of CivilEngineering Associations Pham Sy Liem.
Liem also stressedthat the planning of satellite cities requires careful consideration inorder to maintain their populations and prevent residents from flockingto the inner city.
Under the master plan of Hanoi to2030 with a vision to 2050, the capital will be expanded to cover anarea of more than 3,340sq.km with a population of 9.2 million by 2030.More than 6 million people will live in the urban area.-VNA
Experts at Mar. 15 aworkshop yesterday in Hanoi jointly held by the ministries ofConstruction and Transport and Health Bridge Canada said they donot expect an improvement in the next five or 10 years if trafficinfrastructure does not change.
The congestion could beattributed to a variety of causes, the biggest of which being thattransportation development had failed to keep pace with the city's rapidurbanisation, Deputy Minister of Transport Truong Tan Vien said.
The lack of vision in urban planning and weaknesses in city management has also made the situation worse, he added.
Vien pointed out there was a limited amount of land designated fortraffic infrastructure in the city, only about 13 percent compared tothe standard 20-25 percent.
According to general directorof Transport Engineering Design Inc Pham Huu Son, Hanoi is facedwith a seriously under-developed "static traffic system" includingparking spaces and pavement, especially in the inner city.
The parking space currently available meets only 30 percent of thedemand. Meanwhile, private vehicles have kept increasing by 12-13percent per year, putting huge pressure on the traffic system.
In addition, although public transport is currently running at fullcapacity, the system can meet only 15 percent of the travel needs ofcity residents.
"The city seems to count on publictransport to help improve traffic," said Khuat Viet Hung from the HanoiUniversity of Transport, but "it has spent little money on developingthe system."
The fact remains that Hanoi does not have any kind of rapid mass transit, light rail transit or rapid bus transit to date.
According to Nguyen Ngoc Quang from Holland Twente University ,Hanoians prefer private motorbikes and cars because public means oftransport do not deliver them close enough to their desireddestinations.
"It often takes people longer to travel by bus to their offices every day than by private vehicle," he said.
In order to encourage people to use public transport, urban plannersmust focus on improving accessibility and extending routes to differentdestinations including schools, hospitals, parks and offices.
Kristie Deaniel from HealthBridge Canada also recommended that thecity study plans of developed cities in the world, such as Amsterdam ,to encourage people to travel on foot and by bicycles.
According to deputy director of the Hanoi Construction PlanningInstitute Le Vinh, in the next five years the city should focus oncompleting construction of ring roads and major avenues such as Lang-HoaLac, Ngo Gia Tu, Le Van Luong and Le Trong Tan streets.
The national railway, which divides the city into two parts, alsohinders movement through the urban centre and measures should be takento solve the problem, said Vinh.
"A single solution couldnever work, but a combination of long-term and immediate solutions couldhelp," said vice president of the Vietnam Federation of CivilEngineering Associations Pham Sy Liem.
Liem also stressedthat the planning of satellite cities requires careful consideration inorder to maintain their populations and prevent residents from flockingto the inner city.
Under the master plan of Hanoi to2030 with a vision to 2050, the capital will be expanded to cover anarea of more than 3,340sq.km with a population of 9.2 million by 2030.More than 6 million people will live in the urban area.-VNA
