Hanoi authorities licensed over 260 cyclos to serve tourists but there are thousands of illegal cyclos in the city.

Director of the Hanoi Police Agency, Lieutenant-general Nguyen Duc Nhanh, has requested traffic police and inspectors to seize all illegal cyclos.

At a meeting on July 21, general Nhanh spoke of the uncontrolled operation of the cyclo service in Hanoi. He said many cyclo drivers broke the traffic rule.

According to the general, cyclos must travel in groups of five, groups must be at least 200 meters from each others and cyclos must park at specialized stops, but most of cyclo drivers did not obey the rules. There were groups of dozens of cyclos travel in the city’s old quarter, blocking traffic.

The head of Hanoi Police Agency told traffic police and traffic inspectors to seize all unlicensed cyclos.

There are only four companies in Hanoi licensed to supply cyclo services. General Nhanh said that the license will be revoked if they do not obey the rules.

The culture sector said that cyclos are Hanoi’s specialty, but General Nhanh said that this means of transport would be no longer appropriate to a modern city. He said that Hanoi cannot ban cyclos right now but this vehicle must be controlled strictly.

Earlier, traffic police officers complained that many cyclos broke the traffic law but when traffic police officers stopped them for inspection, foreign visitors often expressed discontent attitude.