Transport inspectors in Hà Nội check on a truck in Thường Tín District. — Photo kinhtedothi.vn

Lê Xuân Tiến, Deputy Chief Inspector from the Hà Nội Public Transport Department, talks to Kinh tế & đô thị (Economy and Urban Affairs) newspaper on proposed sanctions for heavy and oversized trucks violating traffic laws in Hà Nội's inner districts.

What do you think about the problem of heavy and oversized trucks in inner Hà Nội in the last few years?

In the last few years, agencies in Hà Nội have done their best to handle the problem of oversized trucks operating in the inner city. As a result, the number of heavy trucks entering the city has been slashed considerably.

However, the city’s current urbanisation process has required a lot of transportation of building materials to the city. This has caused traffic disorder and pollution as well as traffic accidents, particularly in some inner-city districts.

According to a report, in the first two weeks of June, 423 violations were penalised with a total of some VNĐ1.8 billion (US$80,000) and 12 vehicles were seized while 54 drivers’ licenses were temporarily withheld.

How can we handle this problem?

Giving sanctions to transport vehicles has always been a big challenge for authorities, due to the shortage of personnel and equipment, particularly the big weights. Adding to that is the lack of co-operation from truck drivers.

More recently, quite a few drivers have installed oversized containers on their trucks to carry greater loads. Some people have called these trucks “change gene trucks” to hide from road inspectors.

What should Hà Nội authorities do to put a stop to such violations?

First of all, Hà Nội agencies, particularly transport inspectors, have to hold high their responsibility in carrying out their duties. At the same time, they should work closely with concerned agencies in monitoring trucks loading and unloading their goods. Of course, Transport Inspectors have to take full responsibility before the Director-General of the Hà Nội Transport Department on violations of oversized trucks in the city.

In the meantime, we’ve also come up with a proposal to temporarily withhold the special permits which have been granted to vehicles and even the business license of that transport company.

Do you have any comments on the role of media outlets in the course of handling oversized trucks in the Hà Nội inner city?

I highly appreciate the role of the media in their reflection of the operation of oversized trucks in the city, particularly their contribution to the development of proper transport culture in the city. Thanks to the press, the transport culture in Hà Nội has achieved quite a success.

I’m confident that good mass communications will help owners of transport enterprises and particularly drivers understand the importance of upholding law and order when they are on the roads. — VNS