The public bicycle pilot plan requires roads for bikes only and Hanoi's current infrastructure is unsuitable for this type of transportation, one expert said.

The Chairman of the Hanoi Transport Association, Bui Danh Lien, made the comment following the Prime Minister’s request for five cities, Hanoi, HCM City, Haiphong, Danang and Can Tho, to pilot a public bicycle project.

Earlier, Urban Trees Green Environment Joint Stock Company (VPT) has also sent its proposal to the provincial People’s Committee about the pilot use of public bikes to ease traffic jams resulted by the sharp increase of private vehicles.

The recommendation was approved by municipal authorities. Accordingly, the application of public bikes will be started from the second quarter of this year.

However, Mr. Bui Danh Lien said, to carry out the pilot plan, Hanoi must have parking lots as well as roads for bikes only. The roads must have separate lanes for bikes and no motorbikes and cars are allowed to run on.

If sharing the roads with other means of transport, bikes will cause traffic jams and accidents because of their slow pace.

In reality, currently, Hanoi is unable to have separate roads for bikes, Lien said, adding that even on Hang Ngang and Hang Dao streets, there is no parking lots for motorbike. Many people who want to drop at shops to buy something, but they can’t find any space to park their motorbikes.

Many countries like Finland, Germany and China have used public bikes, but they all have roads for bikes. “I can’t find any street in Hanoi which can be used for the pilot use of bikes,” Lien added.

He said, however, the solution of banning people from some certain routes to carry out the pilot plan of bike use is impossible because they have to travel on the roads to work by different means of transport.

According to Mr. Lien, the pilot plan should serve tourists only, but is infeasible for local people as they will find it difficult to accept. People can go to work by bus, nonetheless, it is difficult for them to spend their money on buying bikes.

Lien emphasised that the most important thing is expanding roads and carry out metro route as well as operate faster and modern buses, particularly people must have good awareness of traffic regulations.