HÀ NỘI – Vũ Văn Viện, director of the city’s Transport Department, said the second BRT (bus rapid transit) would begin operations this year if it received early approval from the People’s Committee.

The second BRT will link Kim Mã St. with Hòa Lạc High-Tech Zone, a route that is used extensively by State officials, students and workers.

According to Vũ Văn Viện, statistics revealed there were some 20,000 people travelling daily along the route. 

“Only 24 out of the total 34 imported buses are used for the first BRT, which was put into operation on January 1, while the journey of the second BRT is the same in the inner city. So all six waiting stations of the first BRT will be used for the second BRT and 1-3 new stations will be supplemented for a complete route,” Viện said.

Furthermore, he said at the last stop in the Hòa Lạc High-Tech Zone, the zone’s management board has proposed spending money to build a waiting station to serve the last passengers.

Viện said when the second BRT arrives at Thăng Long Boulevard, it will run on the common lane.

At a recent meeting of the Hà Nội Transport Services Corporation (Transerco), Nguyễn Thế Hùng deputy chairman of Hà Nội City People’s Committee, affirmed the city authorities had received the Transport Department’s plan on the second BRT.

“The city authorities must make sure they make a decision soon on investing in the second BRT on the basis of lessons learned from operating the first BRT, Kim Mã-Yên Nghĩa,” he said.

“The first priority of the BRT is to be on time. For urban transport, reducing congestion requires developing forms of public transport, which are mainly buses, sky and subway trams. During the test run, the Department of Transportation will receive opinions of the public and experts, aimed at correcting shortcomings in BRT use," director Vũ Văn Viện said.

Data from Transerco showed that the number of passengers choosing to travel by BRT is on the rise. — VNS