Hanoi mulls exclusive lanes for buses in bid for higher ridership
Buses are considered the city’s primary mode of public transport, even when the urban metro system becomes operational, and efforts are being expended to resolve the stalling ridership.
Hanoi authorities are considering making exclusive lanes for buses to optimize running time in the busy capital city and attract more users.
Buses operating at Yen Nghia station, Hanoi. Source Tuan Anh/Kinhtedothi.vn |
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Bach Van Dung, a resident from Thanh Tri District, said the biggest shortcoming is that buses move too slowly, especially during rush hour when he wants to get to work on time but the bus comes to a standstill amidst the paralyzing traffic jams – a common complaint that hampers the growth of bus use.
Phan Truong Thanh, an urban transport expert, said buses currently cannot fulfill the optimal travel time as expected by customers without separate lanes for these vehicles.
Another expert from the Hanoi public transportation association also agreed that without investment into distinct lanes for buses, this transportation mode would face increasing pressure from other vehicles.
Thai Ho Phuong, deputy director of the Hanoi Urban Transport Management and Operation Center, said the city back in October has issued a plan on public transport development in 2021-30 period, which sets the objective of having 10 ‘priority lanes’ for buses by 2030 – five with total length of 22.6km in 2021-25 period and another five in the following five years.
However, many have opined that lanes specifically reserved only for buses would not be good.
Vu Hoang Chung, an urban transport expert, suggested a mixed-use lane – where both buses and motorcycles could travel – as distinct from lanes for cars.
Chung said Hanoi authorities should trial the idea of exclusive lane to gouge the potential effectiveness, but he agreed that more efforts should go into promoting buses to help drive down citizens’ demands for private vehicles in long-term.
Hanoi currently has 127 bus routes with 1,000 active vehicles, transporting passengers to 30 out of the city’s 30 urban and rural districts and townships, 446 out of the city’s total of 584 communes and wards, 62 out of the 71 hospitals, 190 out of the city’s 283 secondary and high schools, all 27 industrial zones, and seven out of the nine neighboring localities.
