Hanoi People’s Council has approved a Resolution to implement a low-emission zone in the city under the Capital Law 2024. This zone will not only restrict vehicles that cause environmental pollution but also prioritize clean-energy vehicles.

According to the Resolution, the city will apply measures to limit fossil-fuel vehicles. In the low-emission zone, gasoline motorcycles will be banned from circulating during certain time frames; app-based commercial motorbikes will not be allowed to operate in this zone; and cars that do not meet emission standard level 4 will be restricted and eventually banned from entering the low-emission zone based on timelines or routes regulated by the city’s People’s Committee.

This means personal ride hailing services using gasoline motorbikes such as Grab, Gojek and Be will have to stop operating within the 9 wards of Belt Road 1 from July 1, 2026, and 14 wards within Belt Road 2 from January 1, 2028.

Hanoi has also set a green-transition roadmap for business transport vehicles: motorbikes used to provide transport services must fully shift to electric before 2030; from July 1, 2026, taxis must be electric or green-energy models; from January 1, 2035, the city will decide the scope and timing for restricting road vehicles depending on actual conditions.

This is considered one of the strongest roadmaps ever proposed to reduce traffic-related pollution in Hanoi, a city with one of the highest density of personal vehicles in the country.

Hanoi’s residents have expressed support for low-emission zones. Many believe this is a necessary solution, aligned with international trends, and will bring long-term benefits to public health.

Regularly booking app-based rides to take her child to school, Hong Hanh from Cua Nam ward, said: “During rush hours, traffic is always jammed, and the exhaust fumes are suffocating. If vehicles meeting standards and electric vehicles are prioritized, the streets will be quieter and less polluted.”

Minh Quan, 35, office worker in Ba Dinh, said: “I support this because fine dust levels in Hanoi have remained high for years. Reducing gasoline motorbikes and non-standard vehicles will definitely improve air quality.”

Quan added that banning vehicles by time and area following the “oil-spill mode” is reasonable, avoiding shock and giving people time to adjust before stronger measures are applied.

Ride-hailing drivers’ concerns

Alongside the support, many concerns have arisen, especially from app-based drivers who will be directly affected when gasoline motorbikes are banned in the low-emission zone.

Tran Duc Long, an app-based driver in Ba Dinh, said his income largely depends on short but frequent trips in the center. If banned from this area, drivers will have to take much longer routes or lose their main source of income.

"If gasoline vehicles are banned in the center, drivers like us will lose a lot of customers. To maintain our livelihood, we will have to switch to electric vehicles, but the vehicle price is still high, not to mention issues with batteries, charging, and the wiring systems in our rental rooms not meeting the demand for overnight charging. We need to think carefully about the near future," Long said.

Tran Van Son, a shipper specializing in delivery in Hanoi's Old Quarter area, said: "I just bought a gasoline motorbike on an installment plan, and I haven't finished paying for it yet. Now, if they tell me to switch from a gasoline vehicle to an electric one, where will I get money? The city hasn't finalized any support policy for people converting their vehicles.”

Not only drivers, but customers who use ride-hailing services also have certain concerns. Pham Thu Trang, an office worker in the Hai Ba Trung area, shared that she orders 3–5 rides every day, mainly for quick movement between appointments in the inner city.

"What if gasoline motorbikes are banned from the center, and I urgently need to go somewhere but there are no electric vehicle drivers nearby? During peak hours or on rainy days, there are few motorbikes; adding this regulation will likely lead to long wait times," she said.

Hoang Hiep