Severe congestion on Phạm Văn Đồng Street in Gò Vấp District, HCM City. — Photo tphcm.chinhphu.vn

HCM CITY — The Hồ Chí Minh City Department of Transport has proposed delaying the introduction of a fee system for cars entering the city centre until the public transport network, particularly metro lines, can better meet residents' travel demands.

Ngô Hải Đường, Head of the Road Transport Management Division at the city's Department of Transport, noted that the fee collection scheme is identified as one of the 27 specific tasks within the plan for enhancing public passenger transport and monitoring private motor vehicles from 2021-2030.

The department expects it will address traffic congestion and generate funds for infrastructure upgrades.

The department recommends that the car fee be imposed only after the completion and operation of key metro lines. In the draft explanatory report for the city’s master plan adjustment to 2040, with a vision to 2060, the goal is to prioritise public transport development and curb private vehicle use through the toll system.

The department aims to have approximately 510 km of urban railway completed in total, with 183 km operational by 2035, covering 30-40 per cent of the public transport demand. By 2045, the target is to increase the operational length to around 170 km, accounting for 40-50 per cent of the city’s public transport market share.

In the near future, Hồ Chí Minh City plans to implement a comprehensive set of measures to limit private vehicle use and effectively reduce traffic congestion. This includes collaboration with relevant agencies to undertake major transportation projects, enhancing infrastructure and road connectivity in line with the special mechanisms established by Resolution 98/2023. VNS