Could a toll on cars ease traffic jams in urban centres?

December 23, 2016 - 09:00

Car drivers may soon face a fee of between VNĐ40,000-50,000 (US$1.7-2.2) to enter downtown Hồ Chí Minh City at rush hour, according to the municipal authorities’ renewed efforts aimed at relieving traffic congestion.

Next week: Could a toll on cars ease traffic jams in urban centres?

Car drivers may soon face a fee of between VNĐ40,000-50,000 (US$1.7-2.2) to enter downtown HCM City at rush hour, according to the municipal authorities’ renewed efforts aimed at relieving traffic congestion.

Using a device installed on the vehicles, toll gates will automatically detect the cars and charge the owners’ bank accounts, eliminating the need to stop at conventional toll booths.

Many drivers, however, question the effectiveness of this plan, arguing that cars are not the key cause of traffic congestion. A number of other factors, including drivers’ awareness, transport infrastructure and road planning are also responsible for the persistence of this issue.

Hà Nội authorities are also mulling similar measures targeting cars entering the capital city, according to the Institute of Strategy and Development, under the Ministry of Transport.

What is your opinion on the effectiveness of road tolls? Will they help ease congestion in urban centres? Is the fee too high?

As traffic congestion seems to be a universal issue across all big metropolises, what are the policies and measures implemented in your countries to deal with this issue? What works, and what doesn’t?

Please reply by email to: opinion@vnsmail.com, or by fax to (84-4) 3 933 2311. Letters can be sent to The Editor, Việt Nam News, 79 Lý Thường Kiệt Street, Hà Nội. Replies to next week’s questions must be received by Thursday, December 29, 2016.

 

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