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| A parking area in Nguyễn Xuân Linh Street in Hà Nội shows the heavy demand for spaces. — VNA/VNS Photo Tuấn Anh |
HÀ NỘI — Expanding the permitted parking areas in Hà Nội is believed to be a wise decision.
Traffic expert Nguyễn Mạnh Thắng that he believed the decision to expand the permitted parking areas was a sensible move, because it provided residents with safe, legal parking options to meet demand, allowed businesses to operate legitimately without hiding or opposing the law and reduced the management burden on authorities.
“This is a solution that will ease frustrations for all parties involved," he said.
The People's Committee of Hà Nội has recently approved an additional 191 streets to be designated for temporary parking, bringing the total number of such streets across the capital to 234.
The newly authorised streets are mostly located in districts with high demand for parking, such as Hoàn Kiếm, Ba Đình, Đống Đa, Hai Bà Trưng, Thanh Xuân, Hà Đông, Cầu Giấy and Nam Từ Liêm. The move, issued under Decision No. 6440/QĐ-UBND, is seen as a response to the city's acute shortage of parking spaces.
At the same time, hundreds of streets that could accommodate parking are left unused, with many areas displaying no-parking signs.
However, the signs have proven ineffective, with numerous streets seeing the rise of illegal parking lots, which pose risks to security, order and traffic safety, while also depriving the local government of potential revenue.
Recent statistics from the Police Office for the Administrative Management of Social Order show that there are currently 340 illegal parking spots operating steadily across the city's streets.
The situation in the downtown’s streets, where illegal parking is prohibited, has become a burden for local authorities, businesses and residents alike.
Despite bans, demand for parking spaces has led many people to continue to park illegally as there are no other options available.
Meantime, taking advantage of the situation, many individuals and organisations have set up informal parking lots and simply pocket their earnings.
Even when local authorities take action to remove the illegal parking spaces, they reappear after a few days.
Therefore, the decision by the People's Committee of the city to allow parking on an additional 191 streets is seen as a reasonable and appropriate step to ease the supply of spaces.
A representative of the city’s Department of Transport said that under current regulations, streets with a minimum width of 7.5 metres can allow parking on one side, while those with a width of 10.5 metres or more may accommodate parking on both sides, provided traffic conditions allow.
However, the granting of permits for the parking areas would be based on local assessments and recommendations.
It was important to note, say authorities, that the streets had been carefully surveyed and evaluated to ensure they met the necessary criteria for parking management.
The criteria for granting the additional parking roads are strict.
The People's Committee of the city said that no parking areas should be designated along national roads that pass through urban areas.
The newly approved parking zones must not obstruct traffic, nor should they interfere with the daily activities of residents and businesses along the streets.
The parking areas must be at least 20 metres away from intersections, and no posts, ropes or barriers should be installed on the roads, ensuring that pedestrian pathways remain clear.
The authorities are keen to ensure fair access to parking spaces for both individuals and organisations, with attention to infrastructure conditions on both sides of the street.
This policy has received a mixed reaction from the public, with some residents supportive.
Nguyễn Hoàng Tùng, a resident of Mộ Lao Ward, Hà Đông District, told to Kinh tế đô thị (Economics and Urban Affairs) online newspaper that Nguyễn Văn Lộc Street was very wide, but no parking was allowed.
Then restaurants and eateries started to encroach the pavement in front of their establishments as their own, chasing away people who want to park.
“Now, with the new policy allowing parking, this will serve the public much better,” he said.
Ensuring fairness
While the policy has been generally praised, some members of the public have expressed concerns about ensuring fairness in its implementation, as well as preventing exploitation for private gain.
Nguyễn Văn Cường, a resident of Tương Mai Ward, Hoàng Mai District, said some streets were already authorised for parking, but businesses split up the spaces and sold parking spots by the month to restaurants, leaving established residents with nowhere to park.
If the management of the 191 new streets was not carefully monitored, similar problems would arise, meaning the policy might not benefit the public as intended, he said.
Economics expert Hoàng Thị Thu Phương said that businesses were primarily motivated by profit and to ensure steady revenue, they might rent out parking spaces to businesses along the streets.
"If customers don’t shop, they might still struggle to find parking, turning the policy into a tool for business profit rather than public service," she said.
The issue must be addressed from the outset and any business granted parking permits must use cashless payment methods and be regularly monitored by the relevant authorities.
Businesses should be told to sign agreements ensuring they meet the needs of the public. “If they fail to do so, their permits should be revoked," she added.
There are also concerns about how expanding the parking zones could impact the city's efforts to establish low-emission zones.
However, urban management expert Trần Tuấn Anh said that the 234 designated parking areas in the city are considered only a temporary measure and could be discontinued if and when necessary.
Moreover, low-emission zones did not prohibit personal vehicles, but encouraged the use of electric vehicles, so there still needs to be adequate parking for residents, tourists and commercial transport vehicles.
Hà Nội needed to enforce strict guidelines as the new parking areas were rolled out, ensuring that businesses prioritised public needs, used cashless payment systems and managed traffic effectively, without compromising public order or road safety.
Currently, the city is home to over eight million vehicles, including more than 1.1 million cars and approximately 6.9 million motorbikes. — VNS
