In half a year, traffic inspectors only fined 25 vehicles entering Vinh City in the wrong direction.

(Baonghean.vn) - From November 2016 to the end of April 2017, Nghe An traffic inspectors only penalized 25 cases of passenger buses going the wrong way into Vinh city.

Mr. Nguyen Sy Thang - Chief Traffic Inspector, Nghe An Department of Transport said that in the first 4 months of 2017, in the documents to rectify passenger transport activities in the province as well as the monthly meeting conclusions, the leaders of the Department of Transport regularly directed the inspection and handling of fixed-route passenger transport vehicles that did not have approval to pick up and drop off passengers at Vinh Bus Station and Vinh Market Bus Station going to Vinh city.

According to Mr. Thang, from November 2016 to the end of April 2017, Nghe An Department of Transport Inspectorate handled 61 passenger buses violating the route and transport schedule in the whole province. Of these, 25 cases were fixed-route passenger buses that did not have approval to pick up and drop off passengers at Vinh Bus Station and Vinh Market Bus Station but still entered Vinh city.

Two passenger buses on the wrong route lined up in Vinh city. Photo: Tien Hung

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Duy Ha - Deputy Head of Vinh City Police, the unit has not yet counted the number of vehicles violating the law. "Vehicles running on the wrong route are handled by the city police a lot. Therefore, we have not yet been able to screen to have data on cases of vehicles running on the wrong route into Vinh City" - Mr. Ha said. Vinh City Police Traffic Police and traffic inspectors are the two forces responsible for checking and handling vehicles going on the wrong route into the city.

The ban on passenger buses with fixed routes from other provinces and cities from entering Vinh city has been issued by Nghe An province for a long time. Most recently, Decision No. 70/2016/QD signed by Mr. Huynh Thanh Dien - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, regulates the routes and restricted travel time of vehicles participating in traffic in Vinh city.

This Decision clearly states: “…All passenger vehicles running on fixed routes that are not approved to pick up and drop off passengers at Vinh Bus Station and Vinh Market Bus Station are prohibited from entering Vinh city between 5:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. every day, but must travel along National Highway 1A, avoiding Vinh city…”.

Passenger bus goes the wrong way in front of Vinh University gate. Photo: Tien Hung

In Document No. 8226/UBND-CN dated October 28, 2016 on inspection and handling of vehicles circulating and picking up and dropping off passengers illegally on inner-city routes of Vinh city, the Provincial People's Committee also requested the Provincial Police and the Department of Transport to direct the traffic police and traffic inspectors to strengthen inspection and handling of cases of vehicles circulating and picking up and dropping off passengers illegally on inner-city routes of Vinh city.

However, according to records, there are still dozens of passenger buses that cross the route every day to pick up and drop off passengers in Vinh city. Some buses even cause fatal accidents. This is not only the cause of traffic congestion but also reduces the number of passengers of bus companies that are allowed to run on fixed routes from Vinh city, causing instability in traffic and transportation order.

Tien Hung