Hanoi police crack down on highway traffic violations

City authorities will seek tougher action as traffic violations on the newly built Thang Long Highway continue to rise, said Deputy Head of the Municipal Transport Department\'s Inspectorate Hoang Van Manh.

Manh said motorbikes, self-modified vehicles, and buses have been driving in car-only highway lanes and residents that live alongside the boulevard have been driving against traffic to shorten their travel time.

Le Thi Oanh, in Hoai Duc District\'s Van Con commune, said people have to drive 3 to 4 kilometres to cross the road but only 200 metres if they go the wrong way.

"We have done it for a month even though we know that it\'s against the law," Oanh said.

To Hai Ly, in the district\'s Song Phuong commune, said they did not want to travel on the smaller roads that line the highway.

"We are afraid of travelling on the roads as they are dusty and have several holes. In addition, heavy trucks carrying land could cause accidents anytime," Ly said.

She said since there are no signal systems on these roads, motorbikes still drive in the wrong direction.

To reduce the violations, the Transport Department has mobilised 120 inspectors and traffic police at 60 intersections to prevent motorbikes and self-modified vehicles from driving in highway lanes.

"We set up several signals for re-routing. Vehicles have driven on forbidden roads because we have not had staff patrolling the boulevard," Manh said.

He said the traffic police have warned drivers that they will be fined starting next week if they continue to travel in the wrong lanes.

He said they have been co-ordinating with the city\'s police and the Thang Long Highway Manage-ment Board to complete and improve side roads.

Thang Long Highway, beginning at the intersection of Lang-Hoa Lac Road and Belt Road III and ending at the intersection between Lang-Hoa Lac Road, National Highway No 21 and Ho Chi Minh Road, is the longest divided road in the country, just shy of 30km long. It is 140-170 metres wide with 6 express lanes and two additional lanes for motorcycles and bicycles.