Hanoi (VNS/VNA) – The Hanoi Transport Department, in cooperation withlocal authorities in districts and communes, will tighten control on highwaysin an attempt to deter violations and ensure traffic safety.

In a document sent to local authorities, the department saidviolations such as roadside encroachment, illegally selling wares by theroad or installing advertising panels had been common along highwaysin many districts.

These activities could pose safety risks, it said.

The department cited National Highway 6 as an example.Hundreds of violations, including illegal sales and parking of vehiclesalong the roadside, were reported along the stretch of highway passing through DongPhuong Yen and Dong Son communes and Xuan Mai town, Chuong My district.

There were two temporary markets occupying 600 metres along the roadside in thetwo communes, disrupting traffic and polluting the local environment.

On the National Highway 21A section that runs through ThuyXuan Tien and Nam OPhuong Tien communes, advertising panels were illegallyinstalled along the roadside, forcing pedestrians to walk on the roads. Streetvendors encroached on more than 100 metres of the roadside, breaking barriersand selling all types of wares.

The same situation was seen on National Highway 5 passingthrough Hanoi and Hung Yen province and along Thang Long boulevard.

To curb violations, the department has asked the maintenancecommittee for transport infrastructure works to direct roadmanagement units to review traffic safety along highways in the city.

It has also asked local authorities, transport inspectors andthe maintenance committee to enhance inspections to deter onviolations on the mentioned routes.

The city’s Department of Transport said it has implemented drasticmeasures to re-arrange traffic in Kim Lien underpass to improve safety after aseries of tragic accidents.

The move was made after accidents in the underpass in Apriland May killed two people and left one seriously injured. Drink drivingand poor design of the underpass were cited as the main reasons for thecrashes.

The underpass has been categorised as a hot spot oftraffic accidents in the city. Speed bumps and warning signs have beeninstalled at the entrances.

The department said the road surface was steep, oftenwet and had poor grip. The lighting system was weak and some lights werebroken.  

Ngo Manh Tuan, deputy director of the department, told onlinenewspaper baogiaothong.vn the department has asked relevant units toreplace broken lights, repair the road surface and install more speedbumps at the entrances of the underpass.

Tuan said the department was considering more measures suchas installing traffic signals and reflective posts or replacinglane dividers with soft materials.

The department will install cameras to deter speedingviolations or travelling in the wrong lane, he said.

Kim Lien underpass was the first underpass in the city. It islocated on ring road No1 in the Dai Co Viet-Xa Dan section. The underpass has alength of 740 metres. It was built in 2006 and put into use three years later.The underpass frequently sees overcrowding at peak hours. — VNS/VNA