Hanoi proposes limiting speed to 30km/h in the Old Quarter.

Hoan Kiem District has just proposed to the Hanoi People's Committee to limit the maximum speed in the Old Quarter to 30km/h in order to create favorable conditions for green transportation, especially electric tourist vehicles.

Hanoi City People's Committee Vice Chairman Nguyen Manh Quyen has instructed the Department of Construction to consider the proposal from Hoan Kiem District People's Committee to allow the addition of speed limit signs in the Old Quarter area, reducing the maximum speed to 30km/h for all vehicles.

Four-wheeled electric vehicles are used to pick up passengers. (Illustrative image.)

According to Government Decree 165, from February 15th, four-wheeled passenger vehicles with engines, including electric motors, will only operate on roads with speed limit signs of 30km/h.

Electric vehicles are not permitted to operate on urban roads or mixed-traffic routes with speeds exceeding 30km/h.

According to the Department of Construction, Hanoi currently has four-wheeled electric vehicles operating in the areas of Hoan Kiem Lake, the Old Quarter, Thang Long Imperial Citadel, and West Lake, carrying tourists.

Regarding tram lines operating in the Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake, and West Lake areas, a representative from the Hanoi Department of Construction stated that these are areas with restricted vehicle access, and currently many roads and sections of streets only allow motorized vehicles to travel at speeds of 10-20 km/h. Therefore, the Department of Construction is coordinating with relevant authorities to adjust and supplement traffic signs accordingly.

Reportedly, in the proposal to address the aforementioned issue, the Chairman of the Hoan Kiem District People's Committee, Pham Tuan Long, emphasized: For many years, the Old Quarter has had a high population density and a large number of people participating in commercial activities. Currently, pedestrian zones are being implemented on weekends.

According to Mr. Long, Hoan Kiem district has long been considered one of the city's key tourist areas, attracting a large number of domestic and international tourists.

However, most streets in the old town have narrow cross-sections (with road widths under 7m), so vehicles currently travel at an average speed of only 20-30km/h.

This speed is also suitable for electric tourist vehicles when traveling in Hanoi's Old Quarter (maximum speed 30km/h).

Based on the above situation, Hoan Kiem district proposes that, in order to facilitate the deployment of green transportation, especially electric tourist vehicles which do not produce emissions, the City People's Committee should allow the addition of speed limit signs in the Old Quarter to reduce the maximum speed to 30km/h for all types of vehicles.

Previously, the four-wheeled electric tram service running between Hoan Kiem Lake and Thang Long Imperial Citadel ceased operation due to new regulations only allowing four-wheeled electric passenger vehicles to operate on roads with speed limit signs of 30 km/h. Meanwhile, a representative of Dong Xuan Joint Stock Company stated that the company had imported vehicles to operate on the Hoan Kiem Lake – Thang Long Imperial Citadel route for nearly a year, and the number of tourists traveling had begun to stabilize.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/ha-noi-kien-nghi-gioi-han-toc-do-30km-h-trong-pho-co-1922503211532242.htm