6:51:17 AM | 18/10/2011
Mr Nguyen Xuan Tan, Deputy Director of the Department of Transport of Hanoi, attended a press conference on October 11 to provide more information about public-concerned traffic directing in the city in a bid to reduce traffic congestion. Le Hien reports.
This traffic directing is a major policy of Hanoi City and has been implemented on some streets since September 20. Could you please tell its results?
[We] separate traffic lanes in four main road routes, namely Tran Khat Chan - Dai Co Viet, Xa Dan, Giai Phong, and Pho Hue - Hang Bai - Ba Trieu. Although this policy has been executed not long ago, it received a lot of support from municipal authorities and citizens. This move is seen as a major breakthrough in creating a new sense of traffic culture for people on traffic. It forced people on the street to go on their lanes, a move believed to create a new urban civilisation in Hanoi. Following lane separation, traffic conflicts on selected routes have been reduced, the movement of transport means has been quickened, and traffic accidents have been reduced.
However, when the policy is enacted, many shortcomings have been found on selected routes. While these routes have dense traffic flows and are easily congested in peak hours, crossings are irrationally arranged and there are no bus-only lanes on these routes - a big obstacle for vehicles en route.
In spite of encountering numerous difficulties in redirecting traffic lanes, the Hanoi Department of Transport is still proposing applying the policy in eight other streets. How will these shortcomings be addressed?
With experience drawn from current routes, we have managed to improve traffic conditions and reduce congestions. As this is a new policy, mistakes and errors are unavoidable. We will collect public feedbacks to do better. We will test traffic flows and adjust traffic lamp cycles on future routes. We expect that traffic will be smooth if vehicles travel at a speed of 30-35 km an hour. We will assign enough personnel to ensure the best results of lane separating.
In the three months of this year, the Department will coordinate with the Hanoi Police to separate lanes in eight more routes, namely Kim Ma, Nguyen Trai - Tran Phu - Quang Trung, Yen Phu - Tran Quang Khai -Tran Nhat Duat, Tran Duy Hung - Nguyen Chi Thanh - Lieu Giai, Le Van Luong, Nguyen Van Linh - Nguyen Van Cu - Vinh Tuy, Bac Thang Long - Noi Bai, and Hoang Quoc Viet.
Perhaps, the awareness of traffic users is still poor. How will lane violators be fined for their misconduct? How are treatments for personnel assigned to those routes?
At first, we will remind traffic users to return to their lanes if they travel on routes exclusive for other types of vehicles. We only impose administrative fines on intentional violators.
The Department has worked with the Municipal People’s Committee - the governing body - to allocate funds for traffic redirecting. From September 20 to October 8, the Department’s Inspectorate assigned 300 staffs (2,000 turns) to selected routes. We paid VND1.5 billion to staffs on duty. Total funding for12 routes is estimated at nearly VND24 billion.
It is said that the Department is planning to submit to the People’s Committee a scheme to set up pedestrian-only roads surrounding Hoan Kiem Lake and fix lanes on National Road 1. Could you provide more information about these?
Basing on the directive of the People’s Committee, the Department of Transport is drafting a scheme for the formation of pedestrian-only streets on Dong Xuan - Hang Ngang - Hang Dao - Hoan Kiem Lake - Trang Tien route where motorised vehicles are banned. At first, we will pilot this scheme at weekends around Hoan Kiem Lake. To carry out this project, the department is conducting a sociological survey to solutions to its impacts like how residents along this route will go, how students will go to school, how ambulances will go, how fire engines will go, etc. We will submit the plan to the city’s leaders at the end of October.
Besides, the Department is also considering a plan that all motorbikes will go on the National Road 1A and automobiles will run on National Road 1B. However, this needs careful consideration.
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