Hanoi plans to shorten the 5-year roadmap and expand the area of ​​​​banning polluting vehicles.

Hanoi is consulting on the implementation of low-emission zones in the area, including adjusting the roadmap and scope of implementation in accordance with Prime Minister's Directive No. 20.

The Hanoi People's Committee has just announced to collect public opinions on the draft Regulations on implementing low emission zones in the area, implemented according to Article 28 of the Capital Law.

A low emission zone (LEZ) is a limited area within a city where air pollution levels are high. Vehicles operating in this zone must meet strict emission standards. Vehicles that do not meet these standards are restricted or charged a fee.

According to the Hanoi People's Committee, the draft regulations on low-emission zones basically maintain the content of Resolution 47 of 2024 of the City People's Council, only adjusting the roadmap and scope to comply with Prime Minister 's Directive 20 on urgent solutions to handle environmental pollution.

Resolution 47 stipulates that in the 2025-2030 period, Hanoi will pilot LEZ in some areas of the old Hoan Kiem and Ba Dinh districts; from 2031 onwards, it will be expanded to other areas.

The new draft shortens the 5-year roadmap and expands the scope: From July 1, 2026, it will apply to Ring Road 1; from January 1, 2028, it will expand to Ring Road 2; by January 1, 2030, it will cover the entire Ring Road 3, while encouraging other communes and wards to develop low-emission zones on their own.

According to the Draft, cars that do not meet level 4 emission standards will be restricted or banned from circulation according to time frames, times or areas.

From 2031, areas in Hanoi that meet one of the three criteria in Article 4 of Resolution 47 will have to implement low emission zones (LEZ).

The first criterion is areas in the strictly protected zone and emission-limited zone according to the Capital Planning to 2030, vision to 2050. These are residential areas concentrated in 12 old inner-city districts: Ba Dinh, Hoan Kiem, Dong Da, Hai Ba Trung, Thanh Xuan, Cau Giay, Hoang Mai, Tay Ho, Long Bien, Bac Tu Liem, Nam Tu Liem and Ha Dong.

The second criterion is areas with frequent traffic congestion at levels D to F according to TCVN 13592:2022 standard on urban road design. According to this standard, the level of traffic service (LOS) is divided into 6 levels from A to F: level A is good traffic, level B is higher traffic, level E is starting to congest and level F is traffic jam.

The third criterion is areas where the average annual air quality (at least the most recent year) does not meet the National Technical Regulations on air quality, with the main parameters including: SO₂, NO₂, total suspended particulate matter (TSP), PM10 dust and PM2.5 dust.

According to the draft, in the low emission zone (LEZ), Hanoi will ban heavy diesel trucks, motorbikes and scooters using fossil fuels. Cars that do not meet level 4 emission standards will be restricted or banned from circulating according to time frames, times or areas.

The Hanoi People's Committee will also propose to apply fees and charges to high-emission vehicles or vehicles that are not encouraged to circulate in the LEZ; at the same time, research policies to support people and businesses in the area to switch to clean energy, zero-emission vehicles.

The draft resolution is expected to be submitted to the City People's Council for consideration at the end of 2025 and take effect from 2026.

Source: https://cand.com.vn/Giao-thong/ha-noi-du-kien-rut-ngan-lo-trinh-5-nam-va-mo-rong-pham-vi-cam-xe-gay-o-nhiem-i779765/