Hà Nội to support residents converting from petrol-powered vehicles

Hà Nội is studying support policies that would help residents make the change from an estimated 450,000 petrol-powered motorbikes in the Ring Road 1 area after officials announced a ban would take effect from July 1, 2026.

The support is being considered after Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính issued a directive requiring Hà Nội to prohibit the vehicles in an effort to curb the city's worsening air pollution.

He asked that by July 1 next year, no motorbikes using fossil fuels will be allowed inside the Ring Road 1 inner city area.

The PM also directed the city to ban motorbikes and limit private cars using fossil fuels within Ring Road 2 starting January 1, 2028 and expanding to Ring Road 3 by 2030.

Speaking to the press on the issue, Deputy Chairman of the Hà Nội People's Committee Dương Đức Tuấn said that support policies would be developed based on a thorough review of each user group and each type of vehicle.

The city plans to draw up a policy mechanism to support costs related to the conversion, such as registration fees, which will be reported to the municipal Party Committee and submitted to the municipal People's Council for consideration, according to Tuấn.

The deputy chairman said that the city would provide maximum help and create the most favourable conditions for residents living in the Ring Road 1 area as well as those who regularly travel to this area.

He also said that along with the policy to help convert personal vehicles, the city would invest in developing green transport infrastructure to meet residents' travel needs.

Hà Nội plans to increase its fleet of small electric buses, which have eight to 12 seats, and four-seat electric cars for inner-city transit within Ring Road 1.

City authorities also plan to speed up the development of urban railway lines.

The city will build more charging areas for electric cars, electric motorbikes and other clean energy vehicles.

In the immediate future, Hà Nội will prioritise placing charging stations at parking lots and in residential buildings.

Since 2017, the capital city set out a roadmap to gradually restrict motorbikes in some areas by 2030. The work was outlined in Resolution 04 approved by the Hà Nội People's Council on July 4, 2017.

Authorities assigned specialised units to develop related projects, including one titled ‘Zoning motorbike restrictions, increase public transport system’s service capacity towards stopping motorbikes in districts by 2030’.

On June 9, at a working session with the Việt Nam Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (VAMM), Hà Nội leaders said the city was steadfast in the policy approved by the People's Council in 2017 on managing personal vehicles to reduce traffic congestion and environmental pollution.

Hà Nội leaders confirmed that the city was determined to implement a roadmap to convert vehicles using fossil fuels to ones using clean energy.

By the end of last year, Hà Nội streets saw over 9.2 million vehicles of all types being used. Of these, the city is managing over eight million vehicles, including 1.1 million cars and over 6.9 million motorbikes. About 1.2 million cars and personal motorbikes from other provinces and cities also run in the area.

According to the capital city's transport plans through 2030, once completed, Ring Road 1 will enclose the capital's inner city and urban centre.

These streets include Trần Khát Chân (from the Trần Khát Chân - Nguyễn Khoái intersection), Đại Cồ Việt, Xã Đàn, Ô Chợ Dừa, Đê La Thành, Hoàng Cầu, Cầu Giấy, Bưởi, Lạc Long Quân, Âu Cơ, Nghi Tàm, Yên Phụ, Trần Nhật Duật, Trần Quang Khải, Trần Khánh Dư and Nguyễn Khoái streets.

The ring road is also the main urban axis connecting east to west, passing through the central area of Hà Nội with a total length of 7.2km.

According to the scheme, Hà Nội has seven ring roads: 1, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4 and 5.

Of these, Ring Road 3 has been completed. The rest are under construction, waiting for construction to begin or waiting for investment.