Pedestrianisation needs thorough planning
Ha Noi authorities are planning to pedestrianise six more streets in the Old Quarter by the end of the year. This would mean closing the streets to motorised transport from seven to midnight Friday to Sunday. State officials said the project was expected to benefit local business by bringing more tourists into the area. What do you think? Le Thu Van, Vietnamese, Ha Noi
| Next week: Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang spoke about measures to curb personal vehicles and develop public means of transport about a month ago and told a newspaper that he would try going by bus to work at least once a week. But earlier this week, a 60-year-old man in Ha Noi lied down on the street as a protest against a running bus skipping a stop. This raised a controversial discussion on forums nationwide about the bus services in Viet Nam in the wake of an incident last month, in which a bus passenger was abused and humiliated by both the ticket collector and driver. A survey of the Ha Noi Transport and Service Corporation says that 65 per cent of passengers who don't go by bus said the reason was long time waiting. 16 per cent blamed the poor service while 10 per cent don't want to walk a long way for the bus stop. The rest blamed pickpocketing and bad driving. Since buses are still the major means of public transport in cities, it seems that it will be a forerunner on the Government's ambitious plan to curb personal vehicles. Do you go by bus in Viet Nam? What experiences here have you had going by bus? What other problems from buses do you face besides the aforementioned? What do you think of the transport minister's field-trip on the bus? We welcome your opinions. Emails should be sent to: opinion.vietnamnews@gmail.com – or by fax to (84-4) 3 933 2311. Letters can be sent to The Editor, Viet Nam News, 11 Tran Hung Dao Street, Ha Noi. Replies to this week's question must be received by Thursday morning, November 10. |
I doubt the plan will work. It would be nice to have a few pedestrianised streets in the Old Quarter to walk with friends at weekends. But given the narrow streets, there would still be traffic problems.
First, parking lots are needed to accommodate the motorbikes and cars. Where is the space for them? And people are likely to be overcharged for parking as well. Second, nearby streets that aren't pedestrianised may become overcrowded with vehicles.
Pedestrianisation can be of help to some small businesses, but will not benefit all the Old Quarter's residents. As for the two streets already pedestrianised, Hang Dao and Dong Xuan, I hope there has been some research done into how this has benefited business operations. A plan should only be implemented when there is evidence that it can work.
Jacques Le Roux, South African, Ha Noi
Pedestrianising certain streets in the Old Quarter is a good idea. I believe it would attract more tourists and local residents to the area due to greater safety and less chaos.
In Ha Noi, crossing a street is a life or death experience due. It would be a breath of fresh air to have somewhere central to stroll about without having to look over one's shoulder constantly.
In a city such as London, areas around historic, tourist and shopping sites including Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square and Carnaby Street, have all been closed to traffic. This has significantly enhanced them as places to relax and absorb local culture undisturbed by pollution, noise or danger.
It has also done much to ease congestion in an already overcrowded metropolis. Central streets in Cape Town have also become throbbing causeways for market stalls, restaurants and people watchers.
As in these cities, I would suggest making pedestrians-only streets in the Old Quarter permanent instead of weekend affairs to avoid confusion and effectively lubricate traffic flow.
Nguyen Hoang Hai, Vietnamese, Ha Noi
This could be an interesting idea, but it has to be more sustainable in the long run. It is questionable whether it could help draw more tourists to the area and benefit local businesses as the authorities expect.
The Old Quarter has been suffering from poor management and environment problems for a long time. As all households try to benefit from their location, the area has become a big mess.
Pedestrianisation, if badly done, can cause bigger problems.
As a former Old Quarter resident, I no longer have the desire to go for a walk in the area – it's too loud, too crowded, and too dusty. What the authorities should do is relocate much of the population, renovate old houses and buildings, thus establishing a faithful version of the Old Quarter.
The plan, if any, should be long-term and considerate. It's the only way to regain foreigners' interest in a thousand year old inner city.
Gina Motsay, American, Ha Noi
I used to work near Downtown Crossing, a shopping district in Boston, Massachusetts, which prohibits automobiles during daytime hours, allowing pedestrians to walk freely. I often went shopping there at weekends with a few girlfriends to entertain myself.
Generally, I think the idea of pedestrianising streets is nice. However, with all the problems facing the Old Quarter at present, including the high population density, I think the authorities should think carefully before they make any decision.
The idea may sound good in paper, but it could cause problems to traffic circulation. Not to mention that local businesses may be adversely affected by pedestrianisation due to reduced through traffic.
Cha Hyunson, Korean, Ha Noi
I am delighted to hear that you may increase pedestrianised areas. Japan and Korea are doing the same thing. I love the Old Quarter but, because of so many motorbikes, I have difficulty in crossing the road. This keeps me away from the area.
I love to visit places without motorbikes. It provides a better atmosphere for shoppers and a busier one for shops. More pedestrianised streets will also help decrease carbon dioxide emissions - and all the other toxic gases. People with motorbikes should use public transport at weekends.
Bill Andrews, New Zealand, Ha Noi
Bangkok's sassy Koh San Road and Pattaya's popular Walking Street are good examples of roads closed to traffic. They are shut to all but pedestrians from about 6pm every night. These clean, wide boulevards are lined with shops, restaurants and bars and characterised by the presence of many foreign tourists.
There are good reasons for their popularity. Families and friends mix with backpackers, taking advantage of the absence of cars and motorbikes to spread out across the street in safety.
An air of exuberance prevails in both locations, which are noted for their shops, bars and restaurants, many of which have wide frontages open to the street. Such alluring and entertaining streets are in stark contrast to the so-called walking streets of Ha Noi, namely Hang Dao and Dong Xuan, where the traffic has been banned after 6pm – not to make it easier, safer and more entertaining for locals and tourists, but for stallholders to make money.
In Hang Dao and Dong Xuan, traffic has been replaced by temporary stalls along the middle of the road and the motorbikes on the footpaths have been replaced by all manner of vendors. This forces pedestrians into two narrow, crowded columns going up one side of the street and down the other.
There is no music, no frivolity, no excitement – in fact, no attraction. Looking left and right, the only thing you can see is the glazed eyes of the people next to you. These walking streets are populated mainly by Vietnamese, who are used to crowded situations and seem to thrive in them. They have few problems dealing with tricky vendors and the pickpockets.
On the few occasions I visited the streets during the two years I lived in the Old Quarter, there was only a sprinkling of tourists to be seen. My guess is "once bitten, twice shy" – they don't go back. I lost my wallet to a pickpocket in the jostling crowd the third time I went and I am loathe to return.
It seems the city fathers don't realise these streets are not attracting foreigners. If the interest is solely to make money, then close the streets, fill them full of vendors and collect the fees, but don't expect tourists to be impressed.
If they are really interested in helping business by attracting tourists, then keep the streets clean and open and free of vendors, allow pedestrians to roam at will, employ entertainers, encourage buskers, hang colourful banners across the streets. Then the locals and the tourists will come - with smiles on their faces. — VNS