l National highway 5 from Hanoi to Hai Phong (Chua Ve port): was completely upgraded up to the grade-I road standard, with 4 to 6 lanes in 2001, and a number of sub-projects to raise its use efficiency have been implemented in 2002.

l National highway 18: By 2005 the Bac Ninh-Bai Chay section shall be completely upgraded up to the grade-III road standard with 2 lanes, the Bai Chay - Cam Pha section with 4 lanes. The Mong Duong - Mong Cai section shall be re-surfaced to ensure traffic convenience; this national highway shall continue to be upgraded and widened from 2006 to 2010.

l National highway 10: The 150 km-long Bi Cho - Ninh Binh section shall be completely upgraded in 2003 up to the grade-III road standard with 2 lanes, including the system of big bridges on the route.

l To complete the routes in service of the flood diversion work, such as national highways 12B, 21 and 21B.

. To complete the construction of big bridges such as Binh, Bai Chay, Yen Lenh, Kien, Thanh Tri, Ta Khoa, Nhat Tan�

+ Outbound routes:

The outbound routes from Hanoi to the northern provinces, including national highways 2, 3, 6, 32, 32C, 70, shall be restored and upgraded up to the grade-III road standard at the starting section and up to the grade-IV road standard at the ending section (in mountainous areas) from now till 2010; particularly the sections within a radius of about 50 to 70 km from Hanoi shall be widened with 4 to 6 lanes or built into expressways.

+ Belt routes, including the following three major belts:

l Belt 1, consisting of the national highway-4 system (4A, 4B, 4C, 4D and 4E) from Tien Yen (Quang Ninh) to Pa So (Lai Chau), running through Lang Son, Cao Bang, Ha Giang and Lao Cai provinces, with 2 sections remaining unconnected: Ha Giang - Muong Khuong and Bao Lac - Meo Vac. The entire route is expected to be through by 2005, including a number of newly built sections, so as to form an uninterrupted belt route. For the post-2010 period, the entire route shall be upgraded up to the grade-IV road standard with 2 lanes, and difficult sections up to the grade V road standard.

l Belt 2 is national highway 279 from Dong Dang (Quang Ninh) to Tuan Giao and to Tay Trang (Lai Chau). Currently the Song Da - Tuan Giao section (60 km) remains unconnected. The entire route is expected to be through by 2005. For the subsequent period, the entire route shall be upgraded up to the grade-IV road standard, with 2 lanes, difficult sections up to the grade-V road standard, and new sections shall be built to avert inundation for the Son La hydro-electric power plant project.

l Belt 3 is national highway 37 from Sao Do (Hai Duong) to Xom Lom (Son La), running through Hai Duong, Bac Giang, Thai Nguyen, Tuyen Quang and Son La provinces. The entire route is expected to be upgraded up to the grade-IV road standard by 2010.

- The Central Vietnam region

Besides the two North-South axes, being national highway 1A and the Ho Chi Minh road, the Central Vietnam region also has a system of roads running across, linking the coastal plain areas of Central Vietnam with the Central Highlands provinces (Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak and Lam Dong), linking Vietnamese seaports with international border gates with Laos and Cambodia, including a number of routes being important East-West corridors in the region. The roads running across the Central Vietnam region are national highways 48, 7, 8, 12, 9, 49, 14D, 14E, 24, 19, 25, 26, 27, 27B, 28, 40 as well as 14C which runs along the Vietnam - Laos - Cambodia border.

The roads running across Central Vietnam shall be restored and upgraded, a number of new roads shall be built up to the III- or IV-grade road standard, with two lanes. Specifically as follows:

l By 2003, national highway 9 shall be completely upgraded up to the grade-III road standard.

l By 2005, new national highway 12 from Vung Ang port to Mu Gia border gate, joining up with Laos� national highway 12, shall be completely built up to the grade-IV road standard, with two lanes. National highways 7, 49, 24 and 28 shall be upgraded up to the grade-IV road standard, with difficult sections up to the grade-V road standard, with 2 lanes.

. By 2010, highways 8, 19, 25, 26 and 27 shall be completely upgraded to the grade-III or -IV road standard.

- Other national highways such as 45, 46, 217, 14C, 14D, 14E� shall have mainly their surface upgraded and their sections running through provincial and district capitals and too rough sections widened. After 2010, they shall be upgraded up to the grade-IV road standard, with 2 lanes, and difficult sections up to the grade-V road standard.

. The program to solidify frequently-flooded sections shall be implemented, ensuring their service in the flood and storm season.

- The South Vietnam region

+ The eastern South Vietnam region

l In the 2001-2010 period, the development of the land-road infrastructure of the eastern South Vietnam region shall focus on important highways 51, 55, 56, 22, 22B, 13 and 20, which link together the economic centers in the southern key economic zone: Ho Chi Minh City - Dong Nai - Ba Ria Vung Tau - Binh Duong. Specifically as follows:

l National highway 51: The entire route shall be completely upgraded, with 4 lanes.

l National highway 55: The entire route shall be completely upgraded up to the grade-III road standard.

l National highway 22: By 2003, the section from Ho Chi Minh City to Moc Bai shall be completely upgraded up to the grade-I road standard, with 4-6 lanes.

l National highway 13: By 2005, a new 30 km-long 4-lane expressway is expected to be built from Binh Phuoc cross-road to Thu Dau Mot.

l National highway 20: shall have its surface upgraded and its grade-III road standard unchanged.

l To research into the building of an expressway from Ho Chi Minh city to Long Thanh and Vung Tau; for the period from now till 2005, the section from Ho Chi Minh City to Long Thanh and Dau Giay will be built with 4 lanes; and for the period from 2006 to 2010, the section from Long Thanh to Vung Tau shall be constructed.

. To research into the building of Nhon Trach bridge over Dong Nai river, Phu My bridge over Sai Gon river, and a number of other big bridges.

+ The western South Vietnam region.

The western South Vietnam region has national highways 50, 62, 30, 54, 57, 60, 61, 63, 80 and 91, and a number of other national highways. The development of land roads in this region shall focus on the complete upgrading of these routes up to the grade-III road standard, with 2 lanes, and their sections running through provincial and district capitals shall be widened. National highway 1A shall be further widened at sections with huge transport demands, first of all the Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Luong section. Two new N1 and N2 routes shall be built to connect with national highway 14C and the Ho Chi Minh road.

l Route N1 shall run along the Vietnam-Cambodia border, from Duc Hue bridge (Long An) through 4 provinces of Long An, Dong Thap, An Giang and Kien Giang, spanning two big rivers at Tan Chau and Chau Doc. By 2005 the entire route shall be through. By 2010, the entire route shall be upgraded up to the grade-IV road standard.

l Route N2 running from Chon Thanh (Binh Duong) to Vam Ray (Kien Giang), shall be an inner belt route of the western South Vietnam region. The entire route shall be through by 2005 and upgraded up to the III-grade road standard by 2010.

l To form a coastal axis and upgrade national highways 60 and 80 as well as other axial sections such as Quan Lo - Phung Hiep route and the route south of Hau river.

l To complete the construction of big bridges of Can Tho, Duc Hue, Vam Cong, Rach Mieu, Ham Luong�

l To build an expressway from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho.

- Network of high-grade and high-speed roads

In order to serve the national socio-economic development and regional and international integration, in the decade ahead, it is a must to form a network of high-grade and high-speed roads step by step. From now till 2010, the building of the following road sections and routes shall be deployed:

- Noi Bai - Ha Long road: 145 km long, 4-6 lanes.

- Hanoi - Hai Phong route: 100 km long, 4-6 lanes.

- Hanoi - Viet Tri section: 78 km long, 4-6 lanes.

- Hanoi - Thai Nguyen section: 70 km long, 4-6 lanes.

- Lang Son - Hanoi - Vinh route: 463 km long, 4-6 lanes

- Belt road 3 of Hanoi: 78 km long, 4-6 lanes.

- Lang - Hoa Lac road: 30 km long, 4-6 lanes.

- Da Nang - Quang Ngai section: 124 km long, 4-6 lanes.

- Da Nang - Hue section: 105 km, 4-6 lanes.

- Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay section: 50 km long, 4-6 lanes.

- Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Vung Tau: 85 km, 4-6 lanes.

- Ho Chi Minh City - Thu Dau Mot: 40 km long, 4-6 lanes.

- Ho Chi Minh City - Can Tho section: 155 km long, 4-6 lanes.

After 2010:

- Ha Long - Mong Duong - Mong Cai section: 175 km long, 4-6 lanes.

- Hoa Lac - Trung Ha section: 40 km long, 4-6 lanes.

- Belt road 4 of Hanoi: 125 km long, 6-8 lanes.

- Hue - Quang Tri section: 90 km, 4-6 lanes.

- Dau Giay - Phan Thiet section: 128 km long, 4-6 lanes.

- Thu Dau Mot - Chon Thanh section: 50 km long, 4-6 lanes.

- Belt road 3 of Ho Chi Minh City: 110 km long, 6-8 lanes.

- To research into the building of a number of routes running in parallel with national highway 1A in the remaining sections: Quang Ngai - Nha Trang, Nha Trang - Phan Thiet and Can Tho - Bac Lieu: about 800 km long.

- The system of land roads in service of external relations

In order to ensure the active regional and international integration, apart from transport, trading, transit� services, a synchronous communications system is required in order to provide an advanced, efficient and safe communications and transport infrastructure network compatible with the regional and world standards, including:

National highway 22 (Ho Chi Minh City - Moc Bai), national highway 1 (Ho Chi Minh City - Hanoi), national highway 5 (Hanoi - Hai Phong), national highway 51 (Ho Chi Minh City - Vung Tau), national highways 6 and 279 (Hanoi - Tay Trang), national highways 2 and 70 (Hanoi - Lao Cai), national highway 7 (Dien Chau - Nam Can), national highway 8 (Bai Vot - Keo Nua) new national highway 12 (Vung Ang port - Mu Gia), national highway 9 (Dong Ha - Lao Bao), national highway 19 (Ham Rong - The borderline), national highway 24 (Thach Tru - Kon Tum), national highways 14 and 14B (Da Nang - Chon Thanh).

b/ Planning on development of the provincial road system

The provincial road system shall be developed along the following orientations:

+ To upgrade a number of important provincial roads to highways, concurrently upgrade a number of important district roads to provincial roads, to renovate or open some new routes in areas where they are needed.

+ To restore, upgrade provincial roads in plain areas up to the grade-IV road standard, provincial roads in mountainous areas up to the grade-IV or -V road standards, and those sections running through district townships up to the grade-III road standard.

+ The percentage of asphalted roads shall reach 60% by 2005 and 100% by 2010; by 2020, the district road system shall be basically renovated and upgraded.

c/ Urban land-road communications

- Hanoi city

+ For the 2001-2005 period

l To concentrate on renovating and upgrading the inbound axes leading into the city, including national highways 5, 18, 1, 2, 3, 32, 6 and Lang - Hoa Lac road.

l To complete belt 1 and renovate belt-2 section south of Red river. To complete the eastern and southern section of belt 3. To renovate traffic junctions and roads where traffic jams often occur. To build more roads in urban and rural districts and in newly developed areas.

l To plan and build the mass transit system.

+ For the 2006-2010 period

To step by step complete and modernize the communications infrastructure.

To complete belts 2 and 3. To continue building and developing the land road communications networks in newly developed urban districts, urban centers in adjacent areas; to step by step build overhead road networks; to build more bridges so as to create conditions for redistribution of population and regulate the too high traffic density in old urban quarters, such as Thanh Tri, Long Bien (new), Nhat Tan, Vinh Tuy bridges spanning Red river, and Dong Tru bridge spanning Duong river.

+ For the 2010-2020 period

To complete, diversify and modernize the communications infrastructure.

- Ho Chi Minh City

+ For the 2001-2005 period

l To renovate and complete the inbound axes leading into the city, including national highway 1 in the north, national highways 13, 22 and 1 in the south, national highway 50 and inter-provincial road 15. To deploy the building of 2 expressways from Ho Chi Minh City to Trung Luong and from Ho Chi Minh City to Long Thanh and Dau Giay. To complete the northern and western sections of belt 1 and renovate belt 2 section by section. To complete traffic corridors south of the city; to build East-West boulevard and Nhon Trach bridge over Dong Nai river and Phu My bridge over Sai Gon river. To renovate traffic junctions and roads where traffic jams often occur.

l Planning and construction of the mass transit system.

+ For the 2006-2010 period

To complete belts 1 and 2. To build more roads in newly developed urban and rural districts. To build and modernize the traffic system in the urban centers south of Sai Gon, the Thu Thiem urban center; plan and invest in traffic junctions, step by step build overhead road networks; and build more bridges over Sai Gon river.

+ For the 2010-2020 period

To complete, diversify and modernize the communications infrastructure.

- Other big urban centers

For big cities like Hai Phong, Vinh, Hue, Da Nang, Can Tho and some other cities:

+ To build routes leading into and out of the city, roundabouts at the junctions of big roads.

+ To build routes bypassing urban centers, form belt roads at a number of cities with important trunk roads running through.

+ To build passenger car terminals in service of travelers and tourists.

d/ Rural communications

- For the 2001-2005 period

+ To build motor roads to all remaining commune centers, commune clusters, and communes; to build roads for horse-drawn carts and motorcycles in communes meeting with extreme difficulties (mainly due to topographical and geographical conditions).

+ The percentage of hard-surface roads shall rise to 80%, of which concrete-surface roads account for 30%.

+ The percentage of rural roads where traffic is possible in both seasons shall reach 70%.

+ To abolish 80% of rudimentary bridges in the Mekong river delta region.

+ To step by step build roads leading to rice fields.

- For the 2006-2010 period

+ The percentage of hard-surface roads shall reach 95%.

+ The percentage of rural roads where traffic is possible in both seasons shall rise to 90%.

+ Bridges and culverts associated with permanent and temporary works shall account for 50%.

+ All district roads shall meet the grade-V or VI road standards, commune and inter-commune roads shall be up to the A- or B-class rural road standard.

+ To build roads leading to rice fields so as to meet the demand for industrialization of agricultural production and farm produce gathering.

4. Planning on development of land-road transport

Land-road transport shall be step by step invested and developed to attain the following transport targets: The freight volume shall reach 186 million tons by 2010, equivalent to 9,206 million Tkm, and 343 million tons by 2020, equivalent to 17,842 million Tkm; the passenger volume shall reach 1,767 million tours of passenger by 2010, equivalent to 48,579 million passengers/km and 4,634 million passengers by 2020, equivalent to 126,003 million passengers/km.

Land-road transport shall be step by step up to the Vietnamese and regional environmental protection standards; reduce transportation costs; raise the quality of transport services and ensure traffic safety.

To maintain a necessary number of State enterprises engaged in land-road transport and enterprises engaged in mass transit in big urban centers; to step by step equitize the remaining State enterprises engaged in car transport.

5. Planning on development of transport means

a/ Automobiles

To fulfill the transport volume already envisaged for the 2010-2020 period, the demands for transport means are forecast as follows: by 2010, the number of small cars shall be 310,000; passenger cars 360,000 corresponding to 10,256,000 car seats, trucks 620,000, corresponding to 3,400,000 tons/means; by 2020, the number of small cars shall be 680,000; passenger cars 770,000, corresponding to 22,950,000 seats; trucks 1,350,000, corresponding to 7,300,000 tons/means

b/ Motorcycles and mass transit means

To restrict the growing number of motorcycles at no more than 10% a year by various economic and technical measures so as to control the number of motorcycles nationwide below 13 million by 2005 and from 2006 to 2010 strive to reduce the number of motorcycles circulated in urban centers, first of all in Hanoi capital, Ho Chi Minh City and a number of big cities. Motorcycles shall be mostly used in rural areas and areas without mass transit.

Together with measures to reduce the growing number of motorcycles, to step up the development of mass transit means, first of all buses, especially in big urban centers, such as Hanoi capital and Ho Chi Minh City�

To assign the Ministry of Communications and Transport to assume the prime responsibility for studying, elaborating and soon implementing, together with the ministries of Finance, Trade, and Planning and Investment as well as the provincial/municipal People�s Committees, particularly the People�s Committees of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh cities, mechanisms and policies to develop mass transit and measures to restrict the increasing number of motorcycles.