A worker from Hanoi Parking Company directs vehicles to a parking lot (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) — With the number of cars and bikes on the rise, Hanoi should accelerateplanning for underground parking, experts have said.
According to Dao Ngoc Nghiem, vice chairman of Hanoi Association for UrbanPlanning and Development, it is necessary for the city to prioritise thedevelopment of underground parking lots.
The capital city is facing a shortage of parking spaces. It has more than 6.5million vehicles of all kinds involved in traffic. The participation of about1.2 million vehicles travelling to the city from other provinces is alsoputting pressure on urban transport infrastructure.
The number of cars and motorbikes increases rapidly every year, with an averagegrowth rate reaching 15 percent for motorbikes and 8 percent for cars per year.
However, the land available for parking and public parking lots only meets 8-10percent of demand for car parking spaces.
It is estimated that the city will need 1,400 hectares for the development ofstatic traffic works by 2030. This is a real challenge given constrained landfunds.
On many streets in Hoan Kiem district, such as Tong Dan, Co Tan and Ly DaoThanh, it is easy to see long lines of vehicles parking close tointersections and even occupying sidewalks.
Similar situations happen on many streets of Dong Da and Hai Ba Trung districts.
Vu Van Vien, director of Hanoi’s Department of Transport, said temporaryparking lots on streets has been adopted in four inner districts. However, hesaid, in accordance with Decree 100 issued by the Government in 2013, parkinglots on sidewalks can only last until 2023.
Under its master plan for transportation to 2030 that has been approved by theprime minister, Hanoi is prioritising developing underground parking lots tomeet people’s demand. But three years have passed and the city hasn’t gotpublic underground parking lots besides basements (ground-level lots) athigh-rise buildings and commercial centres.
In 2010, the city called for investment in underground parking areas at Quan NguaStadium, Thu Le Zoo, the Cultural Friendship Palace, Reunification Park, YouthPark and squares near the Opera House to solve the shortage of parking in thecity.
However, none of the projects have been implemented due to difficulties ininvestment mechanisms and procedures that might cause slow return ofinvestment.
In an effort to attract more investment, the municipal People’s Council hasrecently approved a directive on the development of traffic-relatedinfrastructure.
Accordingly, people who own houses and land in the inner districts of Ba Dinh,Hoan Kiem, Hai Ba Trung and Dong Da are encouraged to invest in parking lots.They will be allowed to use 30 percent of the space for other commercialpurposes if they are underground ones. Tax incentives will also be offered.
Nghiem said that the city should consider the synchronisation factor whilecalling for investment in underground parking projects, ensuring that theywould meet criteria regarding transport connectivity and green space.
“In addition to creating favourable condition for businesses who pour moneyinto the projects, the city authority should harmonise the interests ofinvestors, the State and local residents based on its master development plan,”he was quoted by Kinh te & Do thi (Economic and Urban Affairs) newspaper assaying.
The location for each underground parking lot should be calculated carefully.Otherwise, it would disrupt the existing plan of the area, potentially causingmore pressure on traffic infrastructure, he said. — VNS/VNA
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