Therefore, the proposal to empower Ho Chi Minh City to limit private cars entering the central area, collect tolls to reduce congestion and accelerate the target of 200 km of metro by 2030 is the right direction.
According to the draft Law on Special Urban Areas, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council is proposed to have the right to stipulate the restriction of personal vehicles entering the center to reduce congestion and emissions; and at the same time apply traffic congestion fees. In parallel, the city will strongly develop large-volume public transport, especially the metro.
To have a super-urban operating modernly, it is impossible to let millions of private vehicles squeeze on roads that are already overloaded. Therefore, limiting private vehicles must go hand in hand with developing public transport, it is impossible to ban before and worry after.
People will only abandon motorbikes and private cars if the metro and bus are really convenient, on time, safe, clean and economical.
A person cannot walk nearly a kilometer under the hot sun and flooded rain to find a metro station or bus stop and wait too long.
Therefore, the goal of completing about 200 km of urban railway by 2030 is of particular importance.
If the metro network is widespread and effectively connected to buses and other modes of transport, Ho Chi Minh City can completely gradually limit private cars in the central area.
But just the metro is not enough, Ho Chi Minh City needs a complete public transport ecosystem.
In which, high-quality buses and especially minibuses, sneak into residential areas, alleys, and narrow roads to carry passengers.
A civilized city cannot let public transport only exist on a large axis, while inside the residential area, people can fend for themselves.
In addition, building low-emission zones to limit polluting vehicles is also very necessary.
Ho Chi Minh City is facing a serious decline in air quality. If it does not change from now on, the costs of health, environment and community health will be much larger than the investment costs of green transportation.
Of course, all policies to restrict private cars must have a reasonable, public and transparent roadmap.
In particular, it is necessary to control the quality of public transport services, avoiding the situation where people spend money but receive inconvenience.
Restricting private cars from entering the center is not a battle with motorcyclists or car drivers, but a way to reorganize the urban space to make the city operate more efficiently.
A modern city is not measured by the number of cars running on the road, but by the ability to help people move conveniently with as few personal vehicles as possible.
Hopefully, 200 km of metro will be a turning point to change the urban face of Ho Chi Minh City in the next 5 years.
