Hanoi sidewalk barricades block both vehicles and pedestrians

Barricades along Hanoi sidewalks to prevent them from being taken over by parked vehicles have inadvertently blocked pedestrian use as well.

Cement blocks on the sidewalk on Phan Dinh Phung Street in front of the Quan Thanh Ward People's Committee prevent vehicles from parking.

Throughout March, Hanoi authorities ramped up measures to free up space on the sidewalks for pedestrians. Now, as the program's patrols have become less frequent, several sidewalks are occupied again. And some pavement sections have even been barricaded off by authorities.

Barricades surrounding a public administration center in Hanoi on Vo Chi Cong Street, Tay Ho District, ensure the area is now devoid of parked cars on the sidewalks.

A sidewalk on Ho Dac Di Street, Dong Da District, which used to be occupied by parked vehicles, is now barricaded and patrolled by local militia.

But local resident Nguyen Mai Phuong said the barricades have forced pedestrians to walk in the street, which is one of the problems authorities were trying to solve in the first place.

The management board at the Hanoi CenterPoint building (at the intersection of Le Van Luon and Hoang Dao Thuy in Thanh Xuan District) has used flower beds to block off the sidewalk.

A security guard said the barricades were erected some time ago to prevent motorbikes and cars from driving and parking on the sidewalk, which was becoming dilapidated over time.

Besides blocking the main sidewalks, entrances for vehicles to get on the sidewalks in front of the building have also been blocked.

A building on Le Van Luong Street uses tires filled with cement to prevent vehicles from encroaching on the sidewalk.

A representative of the Nhan Chinh Ward People's Committee said parked vehicles used to block access to local sidewalks, leaving no room for pedestrians to walk the city. So ward authorities encouraged buildings to use flower beds to block off sections of pavement, while still allowing room for pedestrians.