Replacing old motorbikes with electric vehicles: Must ensure the legitimate interests of the people

The continued use of millions of old motorbikes not only affects the environment of Hanoi but also degrades air quality, directly affecting people's health. However, forcing the conversion from gasoline-powered motorbikes to green vehicles will have a significant impact on people's lives, especially those who depend on motorbikes for daily work.

On July 18, in Hanoi, a discussion took place on "Converting gasoline motorbikes in the inner city: For a green Hanoi" organized by Dan Tri Newspaper in coordination with the Hanoi People's Committee Office.

Information at the seminar showed that Hanoi currently has over 9.2 million vehicles of all kinds in operation, including about 7 million motorbikes. The growth rate of Hanoi's vehicles is about 4-5%/year, 11-17 times faster than the speed of road expansion.

Mr. Dao Viet Long, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Construction, said that of the 7 million motorbikes in circulation, up to 70% are old. Studies have shown that motorbikes are the main source of emissions in urban areas, causing 94% of hydrocarbons (HC), 87% of CO, 57% of NOx and 33% of PM10 dust.

“The main source of air pollution in Hanoi is emissions from road vehicles, accounting for 58-74% depending on the time,” Mr. Dao Viet Long emphasized.

Mr. Dao Viet Long, Deputy Director of Hanoi Department of Construction shared his opinion at the seminar.

From the above analysis, Mr. Dao Viet Long said that the continued use of millions of old motorbikes not only affects Hanoi's environment but also reduces air quality, directly affects people's health, not to mention traffic accidents. Therefore, this is an important basis for Hanoi to promote low-emission zone policies and switch to green transportation in the coming time. Experts also said that replacing old vehicles with electric vehicles or standard vehicles can help reduce 35-40% of CO and HC emissions, while improving air quality and saving energy.

Motorbikes are still the main means of daily transportation for Hanoi people.

However, many opinions say that switching from gasoline-powered motorbikes to green vehicles will affect people's lives, especially those who depend on motorbikes for daily work.

Regarding this issue, a representative of the Hanoi Department of Construction said that this issue is related to the interests of the majority of people, so the implementation of this policy is carried out in a very methodical, careful and synchronous manner, ensuring the legitimate interests of the people. At the same time, the policies must ensure environmental goals as well as the common goals of the city. The city is developing specific support policies, including direct financial support, fee incentives and support for businesses producing green vehicles. At the same time, the city will encourage businesses to participate in purchasing used cars, maintaining and supporting electric vehicle batteries for people.

“Hanoi will continue to solicit opinions, dialogue with businesses and work with businesses to develop policies that are consistent with the city’s policies in each phase. We will consult with the community to absorb their opinions before making policies,” Mr. Dao Viet Long emphasized.

KHANH NGUYEN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/thay-the-xe-may-cu-bang-xe-dien-phai-dam-bao-loi-ich-chinh-dang-cua-nguoi-dan-post804358.html