Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has requested an ambitious pilot ban on motorbikes for some streets in Hanoi and HCM City in a bid to ease traffic congestion.

Hanoi and HCM City will pilot motorbike bans on some streets

Phuc, who is also Chairman of the National Committee for Traffic Safety, also suggested that vehicles involved in illegal racing should be seized in order to curb traffic accidents.

He called on authorities at ministerial and local levels to continue applying measures to ensure motorbike drivers wear helmets, and enforce drink driving regulations.

More attention should be paid to rooting out bribery in the issuing of driving licenses to unsuitable candidates in an attempt to ensure better driving standards.

He requested authorities in Hanoi and HCM City to pilot motorbike bans at certain times on some streets in order to ease traffic jams. If successful, the model would be expanded to more cities nationwide.

Earlier, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung demanded the drafting of plans to ban motorbikes in some major cities to be submitted to him by the fourth quarter of 2013.

Traffic accidents are still a major concern in Vietnam. In the first eight months of this year, 8,984 traffic accidents were reported, leaving 7,550 dead and 6,908 injured.