Regarding the closure of barriers in four alleys on Thuong Dinh Street (Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi) during morning rush hour, this afternoon (November 19th), the People's Committee of Thuong Dinh Ward held a meeting with representatives of the Thuong Dinh Ward Police and representatives of residents from alleys 127 and 155 Nguyen Trai; and 126 and 144 Thuong Dinh Street.

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The alleyway is blocked off by barriers to prevent vehicles from entering during rush hour. Photo: Pham Hai

Without barriers, residents in the alley cannot get around.

According to Mr. Nguyen Dinh Que, Secretary of the Party Branch of Mechanical Engineering Residential Area 2B, most of alleys 127 and 155 Nguyen Trai; and 126 and 144 Thuong Dinh Street connect to Nguyen Trai Street, so every morning many motorbikes travel from Khuong Dinh Street into these alleys to cross Nguyen Trai Street and go up the Nga Tu So overpass.

"Due to the large volume of vehicles during rush hour, the entire residential area is congested and paralyzed, making travel impossible. Residents have repeatedly requested the Ward People's Committee to find solutions to alleviate the congestion. In early 2022, the residential area held a meeting and installed three barrier checkpoints to prevent motorbikes from entering," said Mr. Nguyen Dinh Que.

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Mr. Nguyen Dinh Que, Secretary of the Party Branch of Mechanical Engineering Residential Area 2B, shared his concerns about traffic congestion in the residential area. Photo: Dinh Hieu.

According to Mr. Nguyen Dinh Que, after the barriers were installed, residents were able to move around normally and no one objected to it.

"Only those who regularly take shortcuts through the alley are protesting the installation of barriers; some have even smashed the barriers to create a passageway," Mr. Nguyen Dinh Que added.

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Mr. Vinh, Deputy Head of the Neighborhood Committee, contributed his opinions during the discussion. Photo: Dinh Hieu.

Adding to the discussion, Mr. Le Quang Vinh, Deputy Head of Neighborhood Group No. 1, stated that alleys 127, 158, and 114 are only 1m - 1.1m wide, so when many motorbikes enter, it causes traffic congestion. There are days when students cannot even get their motorbikes out of the alley to go to school, and residents cannot get to work...

Mr. Nguyen Tien Khang, Secretary of the Party Branch of Mechanical Engineering Residential Area 2A, added that the erection of the barrier was done after consulting with all residents in the area at the National Unity Day celebration of the residential group.

"Many families living right behind the barrier also agreed to move further out of the alley, but for the sake of overall traffic safety in the residential area, they accepted it. After the barrier was erected, it also helped to alleviate the disunity and arguments between residents and motorcyclists causing traffic congestion," Mr. Nguyen Tien Khang shared.

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Many alleys are narrow, some as little as 0.8m wide. Photo: Pham Hai

Giving an example, Mr. Khang said that there have been many arguments and fights because motorcyclists from other areas have crashed into residents in the alley.

A representative from the Thuong Dinh Ward Police added that the situation of people riding motorbikes from Khuong Dinh Street into alleys and then going against the traffic to get onto the Nga Tu So overpass has existed since 2021. To address this situation, Team 7 of the Road Traffic Police (Hanoi City Police Traffic Department) and the ward police have assigned officers to be on duty and handle the issue.

"Many people driving against the traffic flow disregard police orders, and in some cases even insult or ram their vehicles into officers on duty," a representative from Thuong Dinh Ward Police said, describing the current situation.

We want to keep the barriers in place during peak hours.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Nguyen Tien Khang, Secretary of the Party Branch of Mechanical Engineering Residential Area 2A, expressed his desire to continue maintaining the closure of the barriers during peak hours.

"I suggest that the People's Committee of the ward and the ward police allow the barrier to remain closed during peak hours or find alternative solutions to ensure safety," said Mr. Nguyen Tien Khang.

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Mr. Tran Phan My, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Thuong Dinh Ward. Photo: Dinh Hieu

Meanwhile, Mr. Le Quang Vinh, Deputy Head of Neighborhood Group No. 1, said that blocking the alley with barriers was a "last resort," and many residents had previously considered lifting manhole covers to prevent vehicles from entering the alley.

"The barrier measures are proving very effective, so on behalf of the people, we request that this measure be maintained," Mr. Vinh emphasized.

Mr. Tran Phan My, Vice Chairman of the Ward People's Committee, stated that according to the law, blocking the road with barriers is wrong and the local authorities do not permit this action. However, if the barriers are not closed, thousands of residents in the area will be affected.

"In the coming time, we will work with relevant authorities and the public to find solutions to ensure compliance with the law while still guaranteeing safe travel for people," said Mr. Tran Phan My.

Hanoi: Residents of small alleys install barriers to block traffic during rush hour. Four alleys on Thuong Dinh Street that lead to Nguyen Trai Street (Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi) have had barriers installed by residents to block traffic during morning rush hour.