The Department of Industry and Trade has proposed bicycles as a means to ease traffic and carbon emissions, but the move has met opposition from a number of experts.
Bicycles and development cross lanes
The department said that many large cities around the world have been turning to bicycles to ease traffic congestion and pollution. But some experts have been saying that such a plan is not suitable for Hanoi, whose residents prefer other means of transport.
“We should really learn from the experience of other cities such as Amsterdam, which has been rated the cleanest city in the world, and also has the largest per capita number of bicycle users. Hanoi should also take a look at London, which invested USD1.37 in a bicycle-only road. This type of move has the potential to not only cut down on traffic, but also the use of fossil fuels," the department stated.
However several experts in urban planning have a different point of view. Doan Minh Tam, Director of the Transportation Science and Technology under the Ministry of Transport, said the proposal was short-sighted and too "rudimentary" for a modern city.
Tam added that if bicycles were to replace motorbikes and cars, it would render large infrastructure projects such as motorways useless."
Some others worries that an increase in bicycle use could create more traffic accidents.
One expert who would not give his name said that the repopularisation of bicycles could do damage because they would be on the same motorways as cars and motorbikes. Because of their slower speeds, he said, they could actually cause more traffic jams.
The debate has continued, as several other transport experts have agreed on the usefulness of bicycles for the city.
