Vinh City People's Committee proposes to reduce tolls on Ben Thuy 1 bridge for people in newly merged wards and communes.

As reported by Nghe An Newspaper, on January 17, 2025, the Vietnam Road Administration issued Official Dispatch No. 372/CDBVN-TC to Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces and Cienco4 Group with unanimous opinions.No discount on road service fees at Ben Thuy 1 Toll Stationwith car owners in wards and communes newly merged into Vinh city.

After this information was released, it immediately received many mixed opinions from the public. In which, the majority of opinions said that this was unfair.

In response to public reactions and press reports, on February 19, 2025, Vinh City People's Committee issued Official Dispatch No. 922/UBND-QLDT, proposing to reduce road service fees at Ben Thuy 1 Toll Station, sent to Nghe An Provincial People's Committee, Vietnam Road Administration and Cienco4 Group.

Vinh City People's Committee explained: 11 wards and communes (7 wards in Cua Lo Town and 4 communes in Nghi Loc District) were merged into Vinh City in accordance with Resolution No. 1243/NQ-UBTVQH15 dated October 24, 2024 of the National Assembly Standing Committee on the arrangement of city and commune-level administrative units in the 2023-2025 period of Nghe An province. After the arrangement, Vinh City has 33 administrative units. People in wards and communes merged into Vinh City fully implement the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's laws and regulations and are guaranteed their rights as citizens of the city.

Vinh City People's Committee also stated the information: On April 11, 2017, at the office of Nghe An Provincial People's Committee, the Ministry of Transport worked with Nghe An Provincial People's Committee, Ha Tinh Provincial People's Committee, Transport Construction Corporation 4 - JSC (predecessor of Cienco4 Group) and a number of other related units on collecting road service fees at Ben Thuy 1 station.

Then, on April 13, 2017, the Ministry of Transport issued Document No. 3924/BGTVT-DTCT on implementing the reduction of road service fees at Ben Thuy 1 station, in which it was agreed to: Maximum reduction (100%) for vehicles of type 1 (vehicles with less than 12 seats, trucks with a load capacity of less than 2 tons) and type 2 (vehicles with 12 to 30 seats; trucks with a load capacity of 2 to under 4 tons) of owners with permanent residence; organizations and enterprises with headquarters in Vinh city, Hung Nguyen district (Nghe An province) and Hong Linh town, Nghi Xuan district (Ha Tinh province). The application period is from April 24, 2017.

The implementation of road service price reduction at Ben Thuy 1 Toll Station has received consensus from local people and public opinion, contributing to ensuring security, order and traffic safety in the area.

However, according to Document No. 13711/TD-TC dated December 17, 2024 of Cienco4 Group (the basis for the Vietnam Road Administration to issue Official Dispatch 372), the administrative distance (nearest/farthest) to Ben Thuy 1 toll station of wards and communes merged into the city is from 5.5km to 20.4km.

Pursuant to Document No. 3924/BGTVT-DTCT dated April 13, 2017 of the Ministry of Transport, this distance is equivalent to the area of ​​Hong Linh Town, Ha Tinh Province (a locality where people receive a maximum reduction (100%) of road service prices at Ben Thuy 1 station).

The fact that people in the wards and communes of Nghi Loc and Cua Lo Town (old) merged into Vinh City fully perform their obligations according to Vinh City's policies but are not guaranteed full rights as citizens of Vinh City has created public outrage and not received consensus from the people; creating difficulties in the city implementing and mobilizing people to implement the city's general policies, and at the same time potentially causing social disorder and insecurity.

Vinh City People's Committee also recommends: To ensure full rights and obligations of Vinh City citizens according to the provisions of law, stabilize the lives of local people, ensure the requirements of economic, social development, national defense and security in the area, Vinh City People's Committee reports and respectfully requests the Provincial People's Committee and the Vietnam Road Administration to consider and propose the Ministry of Transport to unify the reduction of road service prices at Ben Thuy 1 station for 11 wards and communes merged into the city according to Document No. 3924/BGTVT-DTCT dated April 13, 2017.