Difficult to handle the responsibility of the leader in clearing violations of traffic safety corridors

Comrade Phan Duc Dong - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Internal Affairs Committee, Head of the Provincial People's Council's Legal Committee chaired the meeting. Also attending were Comrade Hoang Viet Duong - Member of the Provincial Party Executive Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council; representatives of a number of provincial departments, agencies and branches. Photo: Mai Hoa

Re-encroachment is still common

According to the report from the Department of Transport, after nearly 2 years of implementing Resolution No. 56/2016/NQ-HDND dated December 16, 2016 of the Provincial People's Council stipulating a number of measures to clear violations of traffic safety corridors; many solutions have been implemented, focusing on propaganda work, associated with organizing campaigns to clear violations of traffic safety corridors, organizing the placement of traffic safety corridor boundary markers, assigning management to localities as well as solutions to prevent re-encroachment...

The Provincial People's Council delegation visited the intelligent traffic management system at the Department of Transport. Photo: Mai Hoa

In 2017 and the first 9 months of 2018, the whole province has cleared 78,468 m2 of houses, kiosks, tents; 106,446 m2 of roofs; 189 car wash and parking spots; 1,867 business, trading, and construction material gathering spots... At the same time, the Department of Transport has also coordinated with other departments and localities to clear more than 1,000 electric poles, telecommunication poles and nearly 20,000 trees that obstruct visibility to ensure traffic safety.

However, based on a practical survey in a number of districts, at the meeting, a number of members of the Provincial People's Council's Legal Committee raised many concerns and requested the Department of Transport to continue to have positive solutions.

That is the situation when the campaign to clear violations of traffic safety corridors is very popular, but then it calms down and the situation of re-encroachment still occurs quite commonly in localities.

Some localities are confused in determining the scope of traffic safety corridor clearance. Coordination between units with the function of managing traffic infrastructure and localities is not tight.

In addition to the above issues, some opinions also said that the situation of buying and selling and holding markets on the road, especially markets on national highways and key provincial roads, is also causing traffic safety risks and needs to be thoroughly resolved.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Hoang Viet Duong suggested the Department of Transport attract investment to strengthen synchronous transport infrastructure. Photo: Mai Hoa

Acknowledging that the issues raised by the members of the Provincial People's Council's Legal Committee were correct, Director of the Department of Transport Nguyen Hong Ky also shared some difficulties related to the management and use of land related to traffic safety corridors in many localities that are still lax in granting land use rights on traffic safety corridors.

The clearance of violations of traffic safety corridors in some localities has not been drastic at times, even ignoring or covering up violations. Meanwhile, handling the responsibility of leaders according to the spirit of Resolution No. 56/2016/NQ-HDND is difficult to implement, no locality has handled the responsibility of leaders.

Director of the Department of Transport Nguyen Hong Ky explained some issues of concern to the Provincial People's Council delegation. Photo: Mai Hoa

Need to invest in synchronous transport infrastructure

Concluding the meeting, in addition to acknowledging the efforts of the Department of Transport, Head of the Legal Committee of the Provincial People's Council Phan Duc Dong also pointed out a number of limitations and suggested that the Department continue to advise the Provincial People's Committee to strengthen the direction of ensuring traffic safety and order and implement Resolution No. 56/NQ-HDND more effectively.

Emphasizing that people's compliance is a decisive factor, the Head of the Provincial People's Council's Legal Committee requested the Department of Transport to pay attention to innovating propaganda and dissemination of laws, raising awareness, thereby changing the behavior of vehicle owners and people in ensuring traffic safety.

Along with that, it is necessary to strengthen patrols, control vehicle loads, handle violations in passenger cars, buses, and illegal vehicles; and rectify shortcomings in the management of training, testing, and granting of driving licenses.

Head of the Provincial People's Council's Legal Committee Phan Duc Dong concluded at the meeting. Photo: Mai Hoa

The Department also needs to advise the Provincial People's Committee and coordinate with localities to deploy warning measures at points at risk of traffic safety loss; have solutions to combat traffic congestion in urban areas; increase investment attraction, create resources to upgrade traffic infrastructure...

Regarding the work of clearing traffic safety corridors, the Head of the Provincial People's Council's Legal Committee requested the Department of Transport to strengthen inspection, attach responsibility to the heads of district and commune authorities with emulation and reward work; strengthen coordination with the authorities and road management units in the work of managing traffic safety corridors.