Hanoi is trialling a program that bans buses and vehicles with more than 16 seats from entering the city centre during the morning and afternoon peak. This is designed to reduce traffic congestion in the city.

Zing News has reported that this has been confusing for some bus drivers but overall, anecdotally, most bus services seem to have complied.

These sorts of policies need to be applauded. They cost next to nothing to implement and can be very effective when enforced. Notably, in the past, a lot of emphasis has been on removing motorbikes from the city centre to reduce pollution, however, motorbikes generally only really seem to be a problem when they are stuck idling behind buses or cars.

It’s also worth noting that this week AFP published a feature on Hanoi’s worsening air pollution. The article notes that air pollution is responsible for the deaths of around 70,000 Vietnamese, according to World Health Organisation data; and also that the World Bank has estimated that it costs Vietnam’s econmy around US$13 billion each year.

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