When will the sleeper bus go to Tan Lac town?
Double-decker sleeper buses operating along National Highway 48 is the current earnest wish of voters in remote communes of Quy Chau and Que Phong districts sent to National Assembly delegates and Provincial People's Councils...
Nhat Lan • October 21, 2024
PROPOSAL FROM QUIZHOU DISTRICT
We know about the wishes of people in remote areas of Quy Chau district through Document No. 154/TTr-UBND dated September 5, 2024 of the People's Committee of Quy Chau district sent to the Provincial People's Committee, Road Management Area II and the Department of Transport. When asked, the local leader of the mountainous district with the most difficulties in the province confided: "For many years, voters of Quy Chau district have petitioned for double-decker sleeper buses to run along National Highway 48. The district recognizes that if this is possible, it will contribute to promoting socio-economic development for the locality, so there is a document submitted to the competent authorities...".
In the Report No. 154/TTr-UBND, the People's Committee of Quy Chau district recognized that the 38km of National Highway 48 passing through 5 communes and Tan Lac town is a vital traffic route, connecting Quy Chau district and Que Phong district with other localities. In recent years, with the attention of the Central Government, the province and departments and branches, National Highway 48 has been invested and upgraded to basically meet the traffic and freight needs of local people. To exploit the potential and advantages of the locality, Quy Chau district has determined to focus on 3 key areas: Developing tourism combined with promoting production, business and consumption of traditional products such as incense, brocade weaving and other products...; developing the forest economy; focusing on solving domestic employment and labor export. With the determination of the entire political system and people, the socio-economic development of Quy Chau district has been promoted, contributing to the successful implementation of the resolutions of the District Party Congress and resolutions of Party Congresses at all levels.
However, Quy Chau district is still a poor district with many difficulties, especially in the slow development of trade, services, production and business activities. And one of the reasons is that while the demand for goods exchange and travel of the people is very large, the means of transport are limited in circulation, specifically the double-decker sleeper bus system is not yet smooth on the entire National Highway 48...
Clarifying this issue in Document No. 154/TTr-UBND, according to Quy Chau district, since July 1, 2015, when the Ministry of Transport issued Circular 63/2014/TT-BGTVT, double-decker sleeper buses running on National Highway 48 from Yen Ly (Dien Chau) to Que Phong district are only allowed to reach the end of the route at Km74, in the center of Chau Binh commune, 18km from Tan Lac town, 44km from Que Phong town. People and goods when arriving at the stop of Chau Binh commune, must go through another transit point by other means of transport. People who need to go to the South or the North must also find means of transport to gather in Chau Binh commune. Therefore, this is a difficulty and obstacle for people in mountainous ethnic minority areas; greatly affecting the trade process, socio-economic development of the locality, especially in the fields of trade, services and tourism. On the other hand, the Chau Binh commune area has not invested in infrastructure for stops, causing difficulties for passengers, especially at night, easily causing disorder and insecurity, potentially posing a risk to traffic safety. "Voters have repeatedly made recommendations at district and commune People's Council meetings and meetings with voters of provincial People's Council delegates and National Assembly delegates..." - Quy Chau District People's Committee reported in Submission No. 154/TTr-UBND.
At the same time, it is informed that after the Prime Minister approved the road network planning for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050 in Decision No. 1454/QD-TTg dated September 1, 2021 (National Highway 48 from Yen Ly to Thong Thu Border Gate (Que Phong) is a class III-IV road; 2 to 4 lanes), National Highway 48 from Yen Ly to Tan Lac town has been invested in upgrading. Specifically, some curves and blind spots such as Ke Le slope, slope 81... have been basically handled. On the other hand, in the center of Tan Lac town, there is a bus station, meeting the requirements of pick-up and drop-off points. And the People's Committee of Quy Chau district proposed the Provincial People's Committee, Road Management Area II and the Department of Transport: "Pay attention, create favorable conditions to help, and soon have solutions for double-decker sleeper buses to circulate to Tan Lac town bus station, creating favorable conditions for people to travel and helping Quy Chau district develop its economy and society in the coming time...".
LEGITIMATE PROPOSAL
Often using personal vehicles to work in Quy Chau and Que Phong districts, we know every section of National Highway 48. For example, with the section from Chau Binh commune to Tan Lac town, there were previously some weak points, and driving the vehicle also required quite a few neurons to ensure safety. For example, the section passing through the auxiliary dam of the Ban Mong Irrigation Lake project, which was broken for quite a long time, the road surface was crushed and had elbow bends; or several consecutive narrow-radius bends near Chau Hoi suspension bridge, the steep Ke Le section...
However, since 2024, the Chau Binh auxiliary dam bridge has been completed; the surface of National Highway 48 up to Tan Lac town has been paved with smooth asphalt; both sides of the corridor have been reinforced and repaired, guardrail systems have been installed on the slopes, warning signs have been posted... the feeling of insecurity when driving has disappeared. Therefore, the assessment that "some curves and blind spots such as Ke Le slope, slope 81... have been basically handled" by the People's Committee of Quy Chau district in Document No. 154/TTr-UBND dated May 9, 2024 is correct.
Regarding Chau Binh locality, the central area has National Highway 48 running through it, stretching nearly 2km, and for many years has become a densely populated residential area. Therefore, for a long time, some bus companies have chosen this as a stopover, gradually forming a passenger transport business here, including a fleet of double-decker sleeper buses picking up passengers from the North to the South, and vice versa. According to statistics from Chau Binh commune authorities, there are 12 double-decker sleeper buses going to Quy Chau - Hanoi; 4 double-decker sleeper buses going to Quy Chau - Ho Chi Minh City. And to serve this customer segment, the bus companies have equipped an additional 10 shuttle cars to pick up and drop off passengers.
In more detail, according to the Chairman of Chau Binh Commune People's Committee, Mr. Le Van Toan, the 16 sleeper buses operating in the area belong to 6 bus companies: Bien Cuong, Kha Son, Tam Son, Duong Huong, Hoang Huy, and Kien Sau. Of these, only one bus company is local; the rest come from Que Phong, Quy Hop, Quynh Luu districts... Of which, the two bus companies Kha Son and Tam Son run both routes Quy Chau - Hanoi, Quy Chau - Ho Chi Minh City and vice versa. Regarding the passengers, also according to Mr. Le Van Toan, they are residents of Quy Chau and Que Phong districts. “In the past few years, the demand for business travel from the North to the South of Quy Chau and Que Phong districts has been very high. According to the commune's statistics, on average, there are about 600 - 700 people going back and forth every day. To travel, people have to gather in Chau Binh commune by many means. Therefore, since the North - South passenger transport service was established, the central area of Chau Binh commune has been formed, developing new types of commercial services, and the people here have also benefited…” - Mr. Le Van Toan said.
Because he is a local government official, even though there are some benefits for the locality, Chairman of the Commune People's Committee Le Van Toan does not hide the limitations, which according to him are most worrying in terms of security, order and traffic safety. He said: "There have only been opinions from people around the pick-up and drop-off points that the pick-up and drop-off of passengers affects daily life, but no serious problems have occurred. However, the Commune People's Committee assesses that the 4 pick-up and drop-off points for long-distance passengers in the area have the potential to be complicated in terms of security and order because of the large number of passengers going back and forth day and night. Moreover, because the pick-up and drop-off points are close to National Highway 48, the risk of traffic insecurity is always present...".
Referring to the wishes of voters of Quy Chau district and Submission No. 154/TTr-UBND dated September 5, 2024 to Mr. Phan Huy Chuong - Deputy Head of the Provincial Traffic Safety Committee, it is known that the reason why double-decker sleeper buses on National Highway 48 are only allowed to operate to Chau Binh commune, not yet allowed to go up to Tan Lac town is due to regulations on road grades. "For grade V and grade VI mountainous roads, sleeper buses are not allowed to operate, this is the regulation..." - Mr. Chuong said. Regarding the voters' recommendations, according to Mr. Chuong, the Provincial Traffic Safety Committee has been aware of them for several years. "Not only voters of Quy Chau district, but also voters of Que Phong district also wish and have similar recommendations. This is understandable because if sleeper buses operate along the entire route, people will have more convenience in traveling..." - Deputy Head of the Provincial Traffic Safety Committee Phan Huy Chuong discussed.
Assessing National Highway 48 at the present time, the Deputy Head of the Provincial Traffic Safety Committee acknowledged that thanks to the investment attention of the Ministry of Transport, changes have been made, especially the section from the center of Chau Binh commune to Tan Lac town, which is "basically favorable". However, according to him, in order for double-decker sleeper buses to be allowed to operate, it is necessary to re-evaluate the technical factors to report and propose to competent authorities. To do this, it is necessary to have a specialized unit and a competent state management agency to implement it. Mr. Phan Huy Chuong said: “The Provincial Traffic Safety Committee considers the proposal of Quy Chau district voters to be legitimate. If sleeper buses are allowed to operate, it will create favorable conditions for people to travel and contribute to promoting local socio-economic development. However, to do this, Quy Chau district should coordinate with agencies such as the Department of Transport, Road Management Area II... to organize a review and re-evaluation. If there are any factors that are not guaranteed in the section from Chau Binh commune to Tan Lac town, it is recommended that the competent authority allow repairs and upgrades...”.
STILL HAVE TO WAIT?
Learning from the Department of Transport, in response to the proposal of the People's Committee of Quy Chau district, the department assigned the Road Maintenance Management Board to review National Highway 48, from Km75 (Chau Binh commune) to Km112+00 (Tien Phong commune, Que Phong district).
The review results show that the section from Chau Binh commune to Tan Lac town is a class V road; although the roadbed, road surface, drainage system and traffic safety have been repaired, the road cannot be upgraded yet. Specifically, the section Km75 (Chau Binh commune) - Km90+200 (beginning of Tan Lac town) is a class V mountain road (Bnè = 6.5m; Bmét = 5.5m); there are 7 curves with a radius of less than 60m (minimum radius of a class IV mountain road); 1 section has a longitudinal slope of >8% (the largest longitudinal slope of a class IV mountain road) at Ke Le slope (8.91%). In conclusion, for the double-decker sleeper bus to operate, it is necessary to upgrade and expand it to a class IV mountain road with Bnè = 7.5m, Bmét = 5.5m, and handle large longitudinal slopes and narrow-radius curves.
Therefore, according to the Department of Transport, more time will be needed. A representative of the Department of Transport said: “The Ministry of Transport is the investor of national highway projects. Recently, the department has made recommendations to the ministry on this content, but because the capital is focused on key projects, it has not been able to be arranged. However, the project to upgrade and expand National Highway 48 from Yen Ly to Quy Hop district, and from Quy Hop district to Que Phong district has been included in the list of transport infrastructure investment projects in Resolution 162/NQ-CP dated October 4, 2023 on the Government's Action Program to implement Resolution No. 39-NQ/TW dated July 18, 2023 of the Politburo on construction and development of Nghe An province, with an expected implementation period from 2026 to 2030. Therefore, the department will advise the Provincial People's Committee to propose the Ministry of Transport to consider prioritizing and soon implementing this project…”.
