Many factors need to be taken into consideration before any decision on building a monorail in Hanoi is made.
The above statement was made by the head of the Institute ofTransport Planning and Management, Khuat Viet Hung, at a workshop toreview a plan to build a monorail route that would run overhead fromWest Lake to the end of Lang-Hoa Lac Highway , submitted by theVietnamConstruction Import-Export Corporation (Vinaconex) last month.
"Normally, a rail system is supposed to serve the region for at least100 years from the time it comes into operation. In the long run,whether this monorail route is able to maintain its viability in thecontext of the rapid development of Hanoi is a question worthconsidering," he said.
"On the other hand, with currentpublic transportation, buses, although subject to several shortcomingsincluding traffic jams, allow for greater flexibility," he added. "Thismeans their operating routes can be adjusted at any time to meetchanging socio-economic developments and needs."
Ifapproved, this project, at a cost projection of 5.8 trillion VND (302million USD), would build the first monorail line totalling 38km and 14stops on its main route, with a high flow of traffic in the westernareas of Hanoi, according to head of Vinaconex Xuan Mai's monorailproject Tran Quang Viet Ha.
Ha said that the mainadvantages of the monorail compared to other means of publictransportation—including light rail and metro lines—are that lessinvestments are needed, there are no requirements of large-scale siteclearances and it would be quieter during operation.
"Theexpense to build one kilometre of monorail, as we estimate, is about 8million USD, while building one kilometre of a conventional rail alongthe same route is reported to be 43.5 million USD," he said.
Director of the Vietnam Architecture Institute Ngo Doan Duc said thedesign of the monorail routes has to ensure that it would fit in withthe overall transport network and urban landscape, especially in thecase of Hanoi , which is home to many cultural and historic monumentsand landmarks.
Institute head Hung said the design of the monorail project has to be very carefully drafted in a scientific way.
"Many experts have agreed that the monorail's passenger capacity isonly equal to 10 to 40 percent of that of a metro line. Thus, I doubtthat a monorail alone could meet the target for public transportationneeds, particularly at the ever-busy West Lake-Lang/Hoa Lac Highwayroute."
Hung said the project investors have not beenclear about the fares either, noting that the monorail is expected toserve low-income earners. "Would it be affordable enough to becompetitive with buses? Or would the Government need to subsidise it to alarge extent?" he asked.
Before Hanoi , HCM City and Can Tho also considered building monorails to alleviate traffic jams./.
The above statement was made by the head of the Institute ofTransport Planning and Management, Khuat Viet Hung, at a workshop toreview a plan to build a monorail route that would run overhead fromWest Lake to the end of Lang-Hoa Lac Highway , submitted by theVietnamConstruction Import-Export Corporation (Vinaconex) last month.
"Normally, a rail system is supposed to serve the region for at least100 years from the time it comes into operation. In the long run,whether this monorail route is able to maintain its viability in thecontext of the rapid development of Hanoi is a question worthconsidering," he said.
"On the other hand, with currentpublic transportation, buses, although subject to several shortcomingsincluding traffic jams, allow for greater flexibility," he added. "Thismeans their operating routes can be adjusted at any time to meetchanging socio-economic developments and needs."
Ifapproved, this project, at a cost projection of 5.8 trillion VND (302million USD), would build the first monorail line totalling 38km and 14stops on its main route, with a high flow of traffic in the westernareas of Hanoi, according to head of Vinaconex Xuan Mai's monorailproject Tran Quang Viet Ha.
Ha said that the mainadvantages of the monorail compared to other means of publictransportation—including light rail and metro lines—are that lessinvestments are needed, there are no requirements of large-scale siteclearances and it would be quieter during operation.
"Theexpense to build one kilometre of monorail, as we estimate, is about 8million USD, while building one kilometre of a conventional rail alongthe same route is reported to be 43.5 million USD," he said.
Director of the Vietnam Architecture Institute Ngo Doan Duc said thedesign of the monorail routes has to ensure that it would fit in withthe overall transport network and urban landscape, especially in thecase of Hanoi , which is home to many cultural and historic monumentsand landmarks.
Institute head Hung said the design of the monorail project has to be very carefully drafted in a scientific way.
"Many experts have agreed that the monorail's passenger capacity isonly equal to 10 to 40 percent of that of a metro line. Thus, I doubtthat a monorail alone could meet the target for public transportationneeds, particularly at the ever-busy West Lake-Lang/Hoa Lac Highwayroute."
Hung said the project investors have not beenclear about the fares either, noting that the monorail is expected toserve low-income earners. "Would it be affordable enough to becompetitive with buses? Or would the Government need to subsidise it to alarge extent?" he asked.
Before Hanoi , HCM City and Can Tho also considered building monorails to alleviate traffic jams./.
