BRIDGES' CONGESTION * Viet Nam - Overloaded lorries queue up in HCM City

A ban on overloaded trucks crossing Tan Thuan bridge in HCM City has created stockpiles of undelivered cargo - and serious problems for businesses and port authorities

HCM City,VietNam - VietNam News (Hanoi,VietNam) -3 May 2008: -- ... The restrictions have been imposed on trucks carrying more than 30 tonnes to lengthen the lives of weak bridges, such as Tan Thuan 1 and Rach Chiec, according to HCM City’s Department for Public Works and Transport... At Lotus Port in District 7, queues of overloaded trucks have been at a standstill for more than a week. All of them have to pay fees of between VND2–4 million (US$125–250) to get their licences back... This has led to stagnation in the movement of containers full of motorbikes, equipment, machines and steel... Duong Thanh Khang, head of the port’s business division, said the hold-up had led to the cancellation of the quantity of goods passing through the port... Khang said that the port’s management board wanted the Transport Ministry to consider measures to solve the problem. He said if stockpiling continued, it would seriously affect port business operations... The transport association and several private companies have asked city authorities to open new routes for overloaded trucks... (Photo by Pham Do/VNA/VNS - Congestion on Rach Chiec bridge in HCM City. The City’s authority has banned overladen lorries from using the bridge, which has led to stockpiles of undelivered cargo)