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| Fewer petrol-powered motorbikes may be a thing of the future.VNA/VNS Photo |
Alex Reeves – @afreeves23
Air pollution is bad. That’s something everyone can agree on. Surely there can now be no doubt that it tops the list of concerns for Hà Nội’s future, be it of your own wellbeing or that of the population at large. For many ‘expats’ with no long-term ties or investment here, the rising AQI will be prompting nervous glances at flight options.
I’ve lived here, as I seem to mention every other week at this point, almost a decade. Maybe it’s age and the accompanying realisation that I ought to take better care of myself. Maybe it’s the sight of Thanh Niên, cutting between Trúc Bạch and West Lake where I literally cannot see the other side of the lake for the density of the smog that sits upon it. It’s hideous, toxic and the deadliest issue affecting a city which I am very much in love with.
A few years ago, the idea of leaving was unthinkable. Yes, I knew the pollution was bad, but it was a price I naively paid to enjoy the chaos and charm of a city that’s given me more than any other. Now, though, I feel it. Recurring sinus infections, sore throats and a lethargy that can drag down even the best of days. And I know I’m not alone.
So, what’s to be done? The culprits are well known: vehicle emissions, relentless construction, and unregulated industry. That gives the city’s administrators a tough job, which requires equally tough calls. As I’m sure you’ve all seen, from next summer, fossil-fuelled motorbikes will be banned from the inner city.
It’s contentious to say the least. To some extent, I support the intent. For once, this feels like meaningful legislation. Hà Nội’s recent clampdowns on traffic rules show that enforcement is no longer a bluff. The city means business, but does it really have to blame the bikes? Admittedly, I’m biased. I ride. I collect. My love for these machines and the freedom they’ve given me knows no bounds and if the rules are enforced strictly, I’d probably leave.
But beyond personal frustration, there’s a broader point: this city runs on bikes. They are how people commute, how goods move and how businesses function. The average worker cannot afford a car or a shiny new Vinfast toy, if they even want one. Cars are the true scourge of the road here. SUVs block up alleys that can barely handle scooters, their size and number serving only vanity.
So why are motorbikes targeted, while cars remain untouched? Could it be the profile of their owners? Status seemingly buys more than just a parking space. Surely there are more innovative solutions available. Congestion charges. Serious public transport investment. Electric bike subsidies or trade-ins. Getting tough on illegal construction, rogue factories and open burning. These are more equitable, more impactful and less likely to hurt the very people who keep the city alive.
Yes, Hà Nội needs bold solutions. But a one-size-fits-all ban on motorbikes feels more like classist prohibition than strategy and I find myself considering the motivations and feasibility of such a policy in equal measure. So, will I be driving around on an e-scooter next Autumn? Somehow, I doubt it. VNS
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