Hanoi Plans To Ban Motorcycles — But Why?

Vietnam's government plans to ban Motorcycles by 2025, to make more space for buses and metro services.

Presently, around 5 million motorcycles are on the streets of Hanoi and the government estimates that the economic growth will increase those numbers by 2020. The streets are already crowded, and air pollution is so bad that the Real Time Air Quality Index shows the city as "unhealthy."

The Hanoi government is building highways, bridges, tunnels, bus stations, along with more bus services, and is also adding six new metro train lines by 2030. The government has plans to ban motorcycles from the city centre within ten years.

The Guardian reports that some see the move as not fair to those who cannot afford their own cars. Many are waiting for the construction of the two new metro lines, which is scheduled to be finished by 2020.