Vietnam's 5 biggest cities tasked with curbing motorbikes

The five cities, currently the only centrally controlled municipalities and the biggest in Vietnam, must either ban or restrict motorbikes in certain districts after 2030, as well as study and develop a scheme on charging motor vehicle fees in some areas at risk of congestion and environmental pollution.

The request was made in a government resolution issued Tuesday on ensuring traffic safety and preventing traffic congestion in the 2022-2025 period.

Specialized agencies in each city must work with municipal legislative units to develop policies on prioritizing mass transportation to achieve the target of having public transport cover 30-35 percent of passenger volume.

The resolution requires that the five cities focus their resources on dealing with frequent congestion points, eliminate situations in which traffic jams normally last for more than 30 minutes, and only approve projects of high-rise buildings, apartment buildings, and shopping malls that are linked with major traffic systems.

Last December, Hanoi rolled out a plan to ban motorbikes in core districts after 2025.

Hanoi's move came after Ho Chi Minh City said in 2019 that it would restrict and eventually ban motorbikes from a number of downtown areas.

The two biggest cities in Vietnam, HCMC and Hanoi had around 7.5 million and 5.7 million motorbikes as of last year.