Resolution No. 16/2008/NQ-CP On gradually addressing traffic congestion in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City

RESOLUTION

On gradually alleviating traffic congestion

 in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City

__________________________

 The situation of traffic congestion in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City has caused significant economic losses and adversely affected the lives and activities of all social strata in the two cities, becoming a pressing social issue.

To gradually alleviate traffic congestion in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City requires the relevant sectors and authorities of the two cities to implement synchronously both short-term and long-term measures.

Based on the Project "Gradually Alleviating Traffic Congestion in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City", the Government requests the People's Committees of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and relevant Ministries and sectors to focus on implementing the following solutions:

1. Regarding urban transportation infrastructure planning:

a) The Ministry of Transport shall coordinate with the Ministry of Construction and the People's Committees of the two cities to announce and implement the Urban Transportation Development Plan for Ho Chi Minh City until 2020 and beyond, approved by the Prime Minister under Decision No. 101/QD-TTg dated January 22, 2007, and the Urban Transportation Development Plan for Hanoi until 2020, approved by Decision No. 90/2008/QD-TTg dated July 9, 2008.

b) The People's Committees of the two cities shall take the lead and coordinate with the relevant Ministries:

- Establish plans for building parking lots; promote the implementation of underground or multi-level parking projects; accelerate the progress of urban transportation construction projects according to the plan and schedule; only allow the construction of high-rise residential buildings or service facilities if they ensure the required area for motorcycles, motor vehicles, and cars as stipulated;

- Construct, renovate, and expand central national highways, expressways, ring roads, main urban axes, traffic junctions, and urban rail transit systems. Urgently build pedestrian overpasses and tunnels; redesign traffic flow at locations with pedestrian overpasses or tunnels; upgrade and supplement traffic control equipment at junctions prone to congestion;

- Modernize urban traffic management centers;

- Complete the re-establishment of road safety zones according to Decision No. 1856/QD-TTg dated December 27, 2007 of the Prime Minister; simultaneously conduct comprehensive inspections, supplements, and improvements to regulations on managing sidewalks and streets; allocate part of the space for orderly motorcycle parking on wide sidewalks without obstructing traffic and ensuring sufficient width for pedestrians.

2. Planning and implementing the relocation of administrative offices, universities, colleges, vocational schools, and large hospitals outside the city center:

a) In 2009, the Ministry of Construction shall take the lead and coordinate with the People's Committees of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and related agencies to organize the planning of relocating administrative offices, universities, colleges, vocational schools, and large hospitals out of the city center, submit it for approval by the Prime Minister; establish standards for land areas allocated for static traffic to serve the issuance of permits for new high-rise residential buildings and commercial centers;

b) The People's Committees of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City shall base their specific relocation plans on the approved planning for the relocation of administrative offices, universities, colleges, vocational schools, and large hospitals, report to the Prime Minister in the first quarter of 2010.

3. Promoting legal education, organizing campaigns to build traffic culture and civilized urban living habits, and strengthening enforcement of laws on traffic order and urban management:

a) The People's Committees of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City shall take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Information and Communications, the National Traffic Safety Committee, state management agencies, and organizations to widely promote traffic culture and civilized urban living habits among the people, which are demonstrated by voluntarily complying with traffic laws such as walking on sidewalks, driving in designated lanes, forming the habit of walking short distances in daily life; study appropriate forms of promotion suitable for different social strata to gradually enhance voluntary compliance with the Road Traffic Law when participating in traffic;

b) The People's Committees of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City shall coordinate with the Ministry of Public Security to direct:

- Police forces of the two cities: apply appropriate traffic control methods, improve the capacity of using the urban traffic control center to promptly identify traffic congestion points and take timely measures; focus on strictly penalizing violations that cause traffic congestion such as improper parking, turning, overtaking, running red lights, driving against traffic, driving on sidewalks, not adhering to designated lanes, occupying street spaces, and not following traffic controllers' instructions; firmly discipline officers who fail to fulfill their duties or handle violations improperly; accelerate the modernization of equipment for patrolling and monitoring, installing cameras, to widely apply violation detection and enhanced penalties based on recorded images;

- Departments of Transportation shall cooperate with the police to review, supplement, and adjust traffic flow and lane allocation plans for each type of vehicle, complete traffic organization plans within the city; install full traffic signs, traffic signals, and lane dividers; allocate lanes for each type of vehicle.

c) The People's Committee of Hanoi City and the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City shall immediately rectify the management and use of public sidewalks; strictly handle organizations and individuals illegally occupying roadways and sidewalks for private purposes, and local authorities that permit the use of roadways and sidewalks contrary to regulations.

4. Promote the development of public passenger transport, limit the participation of individual vehicles in traffic, and organize traffic reasonably and effectively:

a) The People's Committees of the two cities:

- Continue to maintain subsidies for public bus passenger transport activities;

- Study investment in additional bus lanes on certain roads;

- Complete the review of the bus route network by the end of the fourth quarter of 2008 to adjust any inconsistencies, add new routes to ensure comprehensive coverage of all areas; widely promote the bus network so that citizens can choose reasonable routes; rearrange bus types suitable for each road and area's infrastructure;

- Direct relevant agencies to cooperate with schools and enterprises to organize dedicated bus services (with subsidies) for students, officials, and workers according to Resolution No. 13/2002/NQ-CP dated November 19, 2002 of the Government, starting from the first quarter of 2009;

- Study and propose solutions to promote socialization in public passenger transport activities to mobilize various economic sectors' participation; study and recommend direct and indirect support policies for businesses in all economic sectors engaged in public passenger transport;

- Coordinate with ministries and sectors to accelerate the implementation progress of large-scale public passenger transport projects such as urban rail transit, large-capacity buses, etc.;

- Specify the prohibition of motorcycles, motorbikes, and cars from circulating on certain streets at specific times appropriate to the specific conditions of each area within the city;

- Study the adjustment of working hours reasonably to reduce traffic volume during peak hours.

b) The Ministry of Finance shall study and issue or submit to competent authorities for issuance by the first quarter of 2009 documents concerning:

- Regulations exempting land rental fees for constructing maintenance stations, repair facilities, and parking lots for public passenger transport enterprises operating within the city;

- Mechanisms supporting interest rates for enterprises borrowing funds to invest in public passenger transport vehicles; developing mechanisms for socializing public passenger transport activities using buses;

- Fees and charges related to individual motor vehicles.

- Directing the Department of Information and Communications to advise on management, plan formulation, and implementation after approval by the Provincial People's Committee;

a) The People's Committee of Hanoi City and the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City shall develop detailed plans to implement measures to gradually alleviate traffic congestion and related provisions set forth in this Resolution, and report to the Prime Minister in October 2008;

b) Ministries shall be responsible for coordinating with the People's Committee of Hanoi City and the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City to carry out assigned tasks; proactively coordinate with relevant agencies to resolve emerging issues, and report to the Prime Minister matters exceeding their authority;

c) Report periodically every six months to the Prime Minister on the implementation of measures to gradually alleviate traffic congestion and related provisions set forth in this Resolution./.