Speaking to Lao Dong Newspaper, Dr. Hoang Duong Tung, Chairman of the Vietnam Clean Air Network, expressed that the regulation prohibiting gasoline motorbikes in Hanoi's Ring Road 1 has sufficient scientific and legal basis.
As we know, Hanoi is in the top of the most polluted cities in the world. One of the causes of pollution is that gasoline motorbikes have very high emissions. Therefore, banning gasoline vehicles in the inner city is in line with reality. Recently, the provisions of the law have also stipulated the low emission zone of the capital. Therefore, it is reasonable to ban gasoline motorbikes from Ring Road 1 from July 2026, Dr. Hoang Duong Tung emphasized.
However, Dr. Hoang Duong Tung also said that there is not much time left to prepare to ban gasoline motorbikes in Ring Road 1. Therefore, people need to actively coordinate to raise awareness in converting to electric vehicles. For state agencies, it is necessary to quickly issue specific support policies for people to convert to electric vehicles. First of all, Hanoi needs to promote policies to develop public transport infrastructure such as electric buses to encourage people to use them.
"Currently, there are businesses ready to provide financial support for people to convert gasoline vehicles to electric vehicles. Therefore, state agencies should directly support a sum of money for people to switch to electric vehicles. This policy contributes to minimizing the impact on many people using gasoline motorbikes in the Ring Road 1 area as well as neighboring people when moving into the inner city, said Dr. Hoang Duong Tung.
Dr. Hoang Duong Tung further emphasized that the air in Hanoi is a common living space for everyone. Therefore, not only the government but also the people and businesses need to have the responsibility to join hands to preserve the atmosphere. The decision to ban gasoline motorbikes from entering Ring Road 1 is not only a policy but also a determination of the state to protect the environment. This can only be done when all people are united in implementing it.
On July 12, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh issued a directive on urgent tasks to address environmental pollution.
The Directive requires Hanoi to implement solutions so that from July 1, 2026, there will be no more fossil fuel motorbikes (gasoline vehicles) circulating in the Ring Road 1 area.
The next roadmap is set as follows: From January 1, 2028, private cars using fossil fuels in Ring Road 1 and Ring Road 2 will be restricted. By 2030, the above regulation will be applied to all personal vehicles using fossil fuels within Ring Road 3.
Previously, Hanoi also issued a resolution on piloting low emission zones (LEZ) in some areas of Hoan Kiem and Ba Dinh districts (old) from 2025.
