Hanoi unveils bold 2026 ban on fossil-fuelled two-wheelers
According to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), the ban is part of a nationwide directive on environmental protection, outlining urgent steps to address severe air and water pollution in major cities, including Hanoi.
At times, Hanoi's air quality has ranked among the worst in the world, and water pollution in its rivers has consistently exceeded safe limits for years.
To clean up the capital's air, the Prime Minister instructed the Hanoi People's Committee to roll out a clear roadmap to eliminate fossil-fuel motorbikes and mopeds within Ring Road 1 by mid-2026.
A broader plan will follow. By January 1, 2028, all motorbikes and mopeds will be banned from both Ring Roads 1 and 2, with restrictions also placed on private petrol-powered cars. From 2030, the ban will expand to include Ring Road 3.
Alongside the ban, Hanoi must publish a low-emission zone plan by the third quarter of 2025 and launch a citywide awareness campaign to prepare residents for the change.
The directive also urges local authorities to upgrade public transport, prioritise electric buses and trains, and develop infrastructure for clean-energy vehicles, including charging stations and maintenance services. - BERNAMA
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
4 days ago
- The Star
Vietnam will ban fossil-fuel motorcycles from central Hanoi over pollution concerns
HANOI, Vietnam (AP): Vietnam will ban fossil-fuel motorcycles and mopeds in the heart of the capital, Hanoi, starting July 2026, as part of a nationwide effort to curb air pollution, state media reported. The directive issued by Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh applies to the area inside and along the main ring road that encircles the center of Hanoi. The local government has been tasked with phasing out the two-wheelers by the deadline. Like the rest of Vietnam, motorcycles are the main mode of transport for most of Hanoi's 8 million residents. The city has nearly 7 million motorcycles and just over a million cars. But as incomes rise and more people switch to private vehicles, air pollution from traffic has become a growing concern. Hanoi is often enveloped in thick smog, ranking among the most polluted cities worldwide. Vietnam also wants to switch from fossil-fuel to electric vehicles to cut pollution and tackle climate change. Local EV maker VinFast is leading the shift by holding nearly a fifth of the market share, according to the European Chamber of Commerce. But it still has only a small share of the two-wheeler market. But many are concerned about the unclear plan for phasing out the vehicles. Nguyen Van Hung, 62, has spent three decades driving a motorcycle taxi in Hanoi, now working with Grab, a ride-hailing app widely used across Southeast Asia. He worries the ban will hit the working class hardest. "It will affect people who rely on motorbikes to earn a living,' he said, pointing to delivery drivers, commuters and ride-hailing services. "How can people just discard their vehicles?' Others said that the timeline was unrealistic. Hoang Duy Dung, 32, an office clerk who works in the city center, said he supports cleaner air but believes it is too soon. "We need better public transport and more support before such a big change.' Central Hanoi is home to much of the city's business activity, including offices, government buildings and commercial hubs. A second phase, set to begin in January 2028, will expand the ban to a wider area and include all fossil-fuel two-wheelers, while also restricting some gasoline-powered cars. Other measures include upgrading waste-treatment plants, using digital tools to monitor pollution and introducing stricter penalties for violators. Whistleblowers could be rewarded for reporting environmental breaches. - AP
Malay Mail
5 days ago
- Malay Mail
Hanoi to ban all fossil-fuel motorbikes in city centre by 2026 as Vietnam fights deadly pollution
HANOI, July 13 — Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has ordered Hanoi to ban all fossil fuel motorbikes and mopeds from the city's inner Ring Road 1 starting July 1, 2026, as part of a sweeping new effort to tackle worsening pollution. According to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), the ban is part of a nationwide directive on environmental protection, outlining urgent steps to address severe air and water pollution in major cities, including Hanoi. At times, Hanoi's air quality has ranked among the worst in the world, and water pollution in its rivers has consistently exceeded safe limits for years. To clean up the capital's air, the Prime Minister instructed the Hanoi People's Committee to roll out a clear roadmap to eliminate fossil-fuel motorbikes and mopeds within Ring Road 1 by mid-2026. A broader plan will follow. By January 1, 2028, all motorbikes and mopeds will be banned from both Ring Roads 1 and 2, with restrictions also placed on private petrol-powered cars. From 2030, the ban will expand to include Ring Road 3. Alongside the ban, Hanoi must publish a low-emission zone plan by the third quarter of 2025 and launch a citywide awareness campaign to prepare residents for the change. The directive also urges local authorities to upgrade public transport, prioritise electric buses and trains and develop infrastructure for clean-energy vehicles, including charging stations and maintenance services. — Bernama/VNA
New Straits Times
5 days ago
- New Straits Times
Hanoi unveils bold 2026 ban on fossil-fuelled two-wheelers
HANOI: Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has ordered Hanoi to ban all fossil-fuel motorbikes and mopeds from the city's inner Ring Road 1 starting July 1, 2026, as part of a sweeping new effort to tackle worsening pollution. According to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), the ban is part of a nationwide directive on environmental protection, outlining urgent steps to address severe air and water pollution in major cities, including Hanoi. At times, Hanoi's air quality has ranked among the worst in the world, and water pollution in its rivers has consistently exceeded safe limits for years. To clean up the capital's air, the Prime Minister instructed the Hanoi People's Committee to roll out a clear roadmap to eliminate fossil-fuel motorbikes and mopeds within Ring Road 1 by mid-2026. A broader plan will follow. By January 1, 2028, all motorbikes and mopeds will be banned from both Ring Roads 1 and 2, with restrictions also placed on private petrol-powered cars. From 2030, the ban will expand to include Ring Road 3. Alongside the ban, Hanoi must publish a low-emission zone plan by the third quarter of 2025 and launch a citywide awareness campaign to prepare residents for the change. The directive also urges local authorities to upgrade public transport, prioritise electric buses and trains, and develop infrastructure for clean-energy vehicles, including charging stations and maintenance services. - BERNAMA
