Ministry of Transport requests to release BOT stations when there is congestion during the holidays of April 30 - May 1

The Ministry of Transport has just issued a document requesting units to strengthen solutions to ensure traffic order and safety during the upcoming Hung Kings' death anniversary and April 30 - May 1 holidays.

Accordingly, the General Department of Roads is required to direct the Road Management Departments to strengthen the inspection and review of the road signaling system to supplement and adjust accordingly. At the same time, inspect and direct toll stations to organize traffic flow, promptly handle and clear vehicles, and avoid congestion at toll stations.

Toll stations must be closed if congestion occurs during the upcoming April 30 - May 1 holidays.

BOT toll stations proactively release the station (open the barrier) to clear traffic when prolonged congestion occurs; take timely remedial measures when incidents and accidents occur, especially on key traffic routes.

In addition, the General Department coordinated with the Department of Transport of provinces and cities to strengthen solutions to improve capacity, ensure safety and quality of passenger transport services; strictly handle violations, especially speeding, carrying more passengers than prescribed, and illegally increasing ticket prices.

Construction units on exploited routes have plans to organize traffic, restore road surfaces, ensure safe traffic, and avoid traffic jams due to construction works.

The Ministry of Transport also requested units to widely publicize on mass media hotline numbers to receive people's feedback on traffic order and safety; promptly direct and coordinate with competent agencies to resolve and overcome incidents and accidents that occur.

According to Decree 46/2016/ND-CP on administrative sanctions for violations in the field of road and railway traffic, there are clear regulations on sanctions when toll stations cause congestion.

Accordingly, Article 15 stipulates: Fines from 8 to 10 million VND for toll stations: Letting the number of cars waiting in line in front of the toll station on a lane be from 100 to 150 cars long, or letting the waiting line be from 750 to 1,000m long; Letting the time for any car to pass through the toll station from the time it stops to wait for the toll to the time it exits the toll station be greater than 10 to 20 minutes.

Fines of 10 - 20 million VND will be imposed on toll stations that cause traffic jams of more than 150 - 200 vehicles, or traffic jams of 1 - 2 km in length; leaving one vehicle waiting in line to pay the toll for 20 - 30 minutes.

Fines of 30 - 40 million VND will be imposed on toll stations that cause traffic jams of more than 200 vehicles, or the length of the traffic jam is greater than 2km; or that allow one vehicle to queue up to pass through the toll station for more than 30 minutes.

Fines of 50 - 70 million VND will be imposed on toll stations that allow the above violations to occur without complying with requests from competent state management agencies regarding solutions to resolve traffic congestion at toll stations.

The authority to impose penalties includes: Chairman of the District People's Committee (fine up to 20 million VND), provincial level (fine up to 40 million VND); Traffic Inspector.

When congestion occurs, to be able to clear the station, the toll station must make a record and have it confirmed by the competent state agency.