Traffic jams in Hanoi and HCM City have been reduced by 50% over the last five years according to the Committee on Traffic Safety.

Traffic jams in Hanoi and HCM City is being reduced 

In Hanoi, the number of congestion spots has been reduced from 124 to 57. Meanwhile, the congestion spots in HCM City have been reduced to just 76 compared to 120 spots in 2008. From 2009 to the end of July 2013, the number of accidents has decreased by 10.06%. The number of deaths and injuries also decreased by 6.7% and 6.13%, respectively.

On September 11, at a review conference about resolution 16, issued in 2008 to solve traffic jam problems in Hanoi and HCM City, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said, the implemented measures made during the last five years are showing results, however, stricter measures are still needed in order to completely eliminate congestion spots.

Minister of Transport and Vice Chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee, Dinh La Thang said, population rise is putting huge pressure on the cities public transport systems, especially on roads that lead to city centres.

To ease traffic jams, they have been expanding and building more roads as well as overpasses. Public buses and taxi companies are subject to tighter controls and at the same time the authorities are trying to raise people's awareness of traffic laws and to adjust the work and school timetables to avoid travel at rush-hours.

The Deputy PM said state officials and agencies will be strictly dealt with if they protect transport companies who violate regulations. The Ministry of Transport will co-operate with Hanoi and HCM City in order to find the most effective solution to the overwhelming number of personal vehicles, and put more public transport, such as metro trains and bigger buses into use as quickly as possible.

In five years, the headquarters of five Ministries and Government Inspectorates, have been moved out of the inner city. HCM City People's Committee also said they will move several sea ports and Ba Son Shipyard out of the city soon.

"Headquarters of state agencies, some universities, colleges and hospitals will be moved to the suburbs. The remaining lands will be used as parks and parking lots, both of which are seriously lacking." the Deputy PM said.

At the same time, the Ministry of Public Security must tighten management over traffic safety and carry out more inspections of transport vehicles at construction sites.