1. Development of regional transport in northern key economic region must conforms with socio-economic development orientation, strategy, plans of national, regional transport development, specialized plans and plans of related localities; developing rationally and sustainably transport system to create groundbreaking premise, being driving force of socio-economic development and ensuring national defense and security.

2. Development of transport system bases on promoting maximum advantages of the region which are central location, a strategic gateway of seaway and airway of the country; strengthening connections between modes of transport, especially transport infrastructure connection to form a smooth transport network; promoting role of Hanoi, Hai Phong and Quang Ninh province which is key transport hub of the region, linking to both homeland and foreign countries.
3. To develop transport with high quality, reasonable price; strengthening application of advanced technologies in transport and management of transport activities; promoting development of multimodal transport and logistics services; using vehicles energy-saving and effectiveness; developing strongly public passenger transport in urban areas, especially in Hanoi.

4. To focus on maintenance to exploit maximum available infrastructure capacity. Focusing on synchronous investment in key projects having role of economic development driving force; giving priority to invest in projects of solving "bottlenecks" in the transport, gateway transport hub, and route with large transport demand. Focusing on local transport development; paying attention on investment in rural transport development to meet requirements of new rural development.

5. To promote socialization of investment in developing transport infrastructure. Mobilizing maximum resources at home and abroad, encouraging all economic sectors to invest in development of transport in many forms.
6. To take reasonable land to develop transport infrastructure and ensure safe transport corridor. Strengthening environmental protection in transport activities; actively, effectively responding to climate change and sea level rise.

II. Development goals
1. Objectives to 2020
1.1. Transport

To meet needs of freight and passenger transport with good quality, reasonable price, safety, convenience, controlling and reducing traffic accidents and limit environmental pollution on basis of organizing reasonable transport, developing strongly public transport in urban areas and multi-modal transport, logistics services on freight corridor. Specific objectives:
By 2020, entire region's transport volume reaches 500-550 million tons of cargo and 1,180-1,200 million passengers/year, average growth rate of 10% - 11%/year, while cargo volumes through seaport is 115-160 million tons/year. Ha Noi urban public passenger transport reaches about 20% - 25%, Haiphong and other cities is about 5% - 10%.

1.2. Infrastructure

To strive to put technical level into the existing national road system; by 2020, completing 500 km of expressways. Striving to put technical system into provincial road system and building some necessary new roads. Continue to develop rural roads, 100% rural roads are hardened pavement.

To continue to complete renovation and upgrade to exploit efficiently the existing railway network, giving priority to upgrade and modernize railway of North – South, complete railway of Yen Vien - Pha Lai - Ha Long - Cai Lan and ensure construction progress of urban railways in Hanoi; step by step connecting railway with seaports, dry ports, economic zones, mines and major tourism centers.

To continue to develop ports of Hai Phong, Quang Ninh to meet clearance cargo volume in each period; giving priority to invest synchronously, modern and having plan to exploit effectively port of Lach Huyen international gateway; developing ports in islands with suitable scale to meet needs of social-economic development and ensuring national defense and security; focusing on investing synchronously midstream and dock, ensuring uninterrupted connectivity between seaports with national transport network and logistics hub in the region. Constructing dry ports and other infrastructure to support development of logistics services.

To continue to put in use of technical level to ensure train running of 24/24h, inland waterways, while striving to increase length of managed inland waterways; constructing newly Phu Dong port, key guest port in Hanoi, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh; switching function of Ha Noi port toward primarily serving tourism combining with unloading of clean products.

To renovate and expand the existing airports to meet needs in each period; at the same time, step by step deploying to build new airports under plan. Exploiting effectively T2 international airports of Noi Bai. Investing in upgrading Cat Bi international airports to support Noi Bai international airport.

To renovate, upgrade and expand urban transport of Ha Noi capital. Combining with strengthening maintenance management to use efficiently existing urban transport infrastructure system; accelerating construction of key projects including main urban axes, ring road, iron wheel transport route of large volumes, static traffic system under common construction plan of Hanoi capital to tackle traffic congestion, meeting travel needs of the people. Striving to hit rate of land area for urban transport of 16% - 26%.

2. Development orientations toward 2030

To meet demand and transport services of the society with high quality and hitting international standards, price is reasonable and competitive, fast, safe.
Network of transport infrastructure are basically completed and modernized, ensuring convenient, safe and effective connections among transport modes, among the provinces and cities in the region and between regions with the wholly country and foreign countries. Hai Phong international gateway port, international airport of Noi Bai have role and scale on par with international seaports, international airports in the region. Urban rail network in Hanoi basically completed and exploited effectively.

III. Development plan
1. Transport development plan
Organizing reasonable transport on 6 main transport corridors including:

- North - South corridor includes 4 modes of transport: Road, railway, seaway and airway. Long-distance freight transport mainly undertake by road, seaway and railway. Long distance passenger transport will transfer a part to railway and aviation. Interprovincial foods and passengers on short distance mainly under take by road. Transport market share by 2020: Passenger transport by road accounts for 83% - 85%, by railway 5.8% - 6.2%, by aviation 8.8% - 9.2%; freight transport by road accounts for 76% - 79%, by railway 6% - 8%, by seaway 14% - 16%, by aviation 0.12% - 0.16%.
- Hanoi – Hai Phong corridor includes 3 modes of transport: road, railway, inland waterways. Passenger transport mainly use roads and railways. Freight transport shares among three modes of transport by road, railway and inland waterways. Transport market share by 2020: passenger transport by road accounts for 96.5% - 97.5%; by railway 2.5% - 3.5%; freight transport by road 65% - 68%; by railway 1% - 2%; by inland waterway 31% -33%.

- Corridor of Hanoi - Quang Ninh includes 4 transport modes: road, railway, inland waterways and aviation. Transports of passengers mainly use road transport, railway and aviation. Goods transport shares between three modes of transport by road, railway and inland waterways. By 2020, transport market share: passenger transport by road accounts for 97% - 98%, by railways 2% - 3%, by airway 0.03%; freight transport by road 33% - 35%, by railway 4% - 5%, inland waterways and coastal areas 57% - 60%.

- Hanoi - Lao Cai corridor includes 3 modes of transport: road, railway, inland waterways. Passenger transports mainly use roads and railways. Goods freight shares between three modes of transport by road, railway and inland waterways. Transport market share by 2020: passenger transport by road accounts for 81% - 82%, railway 18% - 19%; freight transport by road 45% - 49%, railway 11% - 13%, and inland waterways 38% - 42%.

- Corridor of Hanoi - Lang Son includes 2 modes of transport: road and railway. By 2020, passenger transport are carried out mainly by road with a market share of about 99%, railway about 1%; volume of freight transport by road 81% - 84%, by railway 16% - 19%.

- Corridor of Ninh Binh - Hai Phong - Quang Ninh with 2 modes of transport: Road transport and inland waterways, while road transport is essential. By 2020, passenger transport by road assumes 100%, freight transport by road is about 75%, inland waterways and coastal areas is around 25%.

By 2030, share of transport on corridors continue to be restructured in line with direction which has been identified in the Prime Minister’s Decision No.318/QD-TTg dated March 4, 2014 on approving strategy of transport service development through 2020 with orientation to 2030.
Enhancing connectivity and developing multi-modal transport, logistics services:

- To strengthen role of railway transport, inland waterway transport on main corridor connecting with ports, particularly between Hanoi and Hai Phong seaport and Quang Ninh seaport; associating organization of railway transport with operation of dry ports to improve efficiency of exploitation, promoting multimodal transport and reducing logistics costs.

- To promote development of sea river transport into modes of transport with good quality, convenient, reasonably price service in order to improve competitiveness, undertake increasing transport market share in inland transport, primarily on corridor of North - South. Organizing to exploit well river sea transport routes from Quang Ninh, Hai Phong to other provinces and cities across the country.

- To prioritize investments, accelerate implementation of infrastructure projects connecting modes of transport, out of which, focusing on railway connection with international gateway ports of Hai Phong (Dinh Vu, Lach Huyen); urban public passenger transport with key railway station in Hanoi (Ngoc Hoi, Yen Vien ...), international airport of Noi Bai; investing in large container shipping logistics in key areas, especially dry ports having connectivity with railway and inland waterways.

- To construct, upgrade and modernize railway junction area, intercity bus station in the localities, especially in Hanoi and Hai Phong City under separate approved plans.

2. Plan on transport infrastructure development
2.1. Road
Expressways:

- Highway of Hanoi - Hai Phong: from ring road III (Ha Noi city) to Dinh Vu dam (Hai Phong), approximately 105.5 km long, 6 lane scale.

- Highway of Ha Long - Hai Phong: From Ha Long City (Quang Ninh) to bridge of Bach Dang (Hai Phong), approximately 25.5 kilometers long, with 4 lanes.

- Noi Bai - Lao Cai highway: section in the region from intersection of Noi Bai - Ha Long with national road No.2 (Ha Noi city) to bridge of Lo, Tu Yen commune, Vinh Phuc province, about 47 km, scale of 4-6 lanes.
- Highway of Ha Noi - Thai Nguyen – Cho Moi - Bac Kan: section in the region from km 152 + 400 new national road No.1A, in Ninh Hiep commune, Gia Lam district to Trung Gia commune, Soc Son district, Hanoi City, about 35 km long, size of 4-6 lanes.
- Highway of Hanoi - Lang Son: section in the region from km 159 + 10 national road No.1 in Ha Noi to bridge of Nhu Nguyet, Bac Ninh province, about 27.4 km long with 4-6 lanes.
- Noi Bai - Ha Long highway: From city of Bac Ninh (Bac Ninh province) to Ha Long City (Quang Ninh province), about 136 km long, with 4-6 lanes.
- Highway of Ha Long - Mong Cai: From Ha Long to Mong Cai, Quang Ninh province, about 128 km long, scale of 2-4 lanes.
- Highway of Phap Van - Cau Gie (under highway axis of North - South): From intersection of Phap Van (Ha Noi) to Km 210 national road No.1A (Ha Nam province), about 32.3 km, scale of 6 lanes.
- Hoa Lac – Hoa Binh highway: section in the region is from Hoa Lac intersection at km 00+30 to km 45 + 00 (Ha Noi), about 12.4 km long, 6-lane scale. In short term, constructing the section under standard of grade plain III, with 2 lanes for motorized vehicles considering advantage to invest in completing highway in the next period.
To research to build highway of Doan Hung - Hoa Lac - Pho Chau, Ninh Binh - Hai Phong - Quang Ninh, Tay Bac - Hanoi - Hai Phong and upgrading and expanding highway under ability of mobilizing capital and practical needs.
National road:
- National road No.1: section in the region from km 132 + 245 (Bac Ninh province) to km 215 + 775 (Ha Noi city) with a length of 83.5 km, maintaining road standard of grade II with 4 lanes.
- National road No.2: section in the region from km 0 + 00 (Ha Noi) to km 50 + 650 (Vinh Phuc province) has approximately 49.8 km long, will be upgraded to minimum road standard of grade III with scale of 4 lanes.

- National road No.5: from Nhu Quynh (Hung Yen province) at km 11 + 135 to Dinh Vu (Hai Phong City) at km 106 + 300, about 95.2 km long, maintaining standard of grade II with scale of 4 lanes.
- National road No.6: section in the region from km 0 + 00 to km 32 + 500 (Ha Noi city) has a length of approximately 21.6 km, upgrading to hit minimum road standard of grade III with 2 lanes.
- National road No.32: section in region from km 0 + 00 to km 63 + 00 (Ha Noi) has a length of approximately 51.7 km, will be upgraded to hit minimum road standard of grade III with 2 lanes.

- National road No.10: section in the region km 0+00 (Quang Ninh province) to km 58+138 (Hai Phong city) has a length of approximately 58.4 km, the entire route will be upgraded to grade III, II, with 4 lanes.
- National road No.18: from intersection with national road No.1A locating in Dai Phuc (Bac Ninh province) to bridge of Bac Luan (Quang Ninh province) has a length of 303 km, completing expansion of section of Uong Bi - Bac Ninh province with a length of 57 km, road standards of grade III with 4 lanes; complete upgrading of section of Mong Duong - Mong Cai (Quang Ninh province), a length of 124 km with road standards of grade III, 2 lanes.

- National road No.18B: from Hai Ha to Bac Phong Sinh border gate, Quang Ninh province, has a length of 17 km, the entire route hits a standard of grade III, 2 lanes.

- National road No.17: section in region from Gia Lam (Ha Noi) at km 0 + 00 to km 40 + 00 (Bac Ninh province) has a length of about 35 km, upgrading to at least grade III, 2 lanes.
- National road No.18C: from Tien Yen bridge border of Vietnam - China (Quang Ninh province) has a length of about 50 km, will be upgraded to hit minimum grade standard of grade III with 2 lanes.
- National road No.38: section in the region from km 0+00 (Bac Ninh province) to km 69 + 672 (Hung Yen province) has a length of 56.5 km, will be upgraded to hit minimum road standards of grade III, 2 lanes.
- National road No.38B: section in the region from km 0+00 (Hai Duong province) to km 45+075 (Hung Yen province) has a length of approximately 38.2 km, will be upgraded and expanded to hit minimum road standard of grade III, 2 lanes.

- National road No.39: section in the region from km 0+00 to km 43+130, Hung Yen province, has a length of 43.1 km, will be upgraded to hit minimum road standard of grade III with 2 lanes.
- National road No.21: section in the region from Son Tay town at km 0 + 00 to km 59 + 200 in Ha Noi, has a length of about 46 km, will be upgraded to reach minimum road standard of level IV, III, 2 lanes.

- National road No.21B: section in the region from km 0+00 to km 41+500 in Ha Noi , has a length of about 41.6 km, will be upgraded to minimum road standards of grade III with 2 lanes.
- National road No.2B: from Doc Lap to Tam Dao, Vinh Phuc province, having a length of about 25 km, will be upgraded section in city area to hit urban road standard, other rest section hits minimum standard of level IV, 2 lanes.

- National road No.2C: section in the region from km 1+00 to km 49+750 in Vinh Phuc province, having a length of approximately 46.2 km, will be upgraded to hit minimum road standard of grade III with 2 lanes.
- National road No.4B: section in the region from km 80+00 to km 107+00 in Quang Ninh province, has a length of about 27 km, the entire route will be upgraded to hit grade III, 2 lanes.

- Road connecting national road No.4B to Van Don economic zone in Quang Ninh province: from Tien Yen running in the west Cai Bau island (key island of Van Don economic zone) to exsiting Van Don bridge, hitting a length of about 32 km, standard of grade III, 2-4 lanes.
- National road No.279: section in the region from km 0+00 to km 42+600 in Quang Ninh province, having a length of about 42.6 km, completing construction, upgrading to hit minimum road standard of level IV, 2 lanes.

- National road No.37: section in the region from km 10+00 (Hai Phong city) to km 95+180 (Hai Duong province), having a length of 94.5 km, upgrading to hit road standards of level III with 2 lanes.

- Ho Chi Minh road: section in the region from km 409+00 to km438+00 (Ha Noi), having a length of about 29 km, implementing under the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 194/QD-TTg dated 15 January, 2012t on detailed plan of Ho Chi Minh road.

- Coastal road: section in the region from Red mountain, Mui Ngoc in Binh Ngoc commune, Mong Cai City (Quang Ninh province) to Thanh Lan commune (Hai Phong city), having a length of approximately 307.5 km, reaching minimum road standard of grade III, 2 lanes.
Urban ring road:

- Ring road III of Ha Noi capital: Noi Bai - Mai Dich - Thanh Xuan - Phap Van - Thanh Tri bridge - Sai Dong - Ninh Hiep - Viet Hung – Dong Anh - Tien Duong - Nam Hong, having a length of about 55 km, urban streets urban combining expressway in the middle with 4-6 lanes.

- Ring road IV (ring road of the region): implementing under the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 1287/QD-TTg dated July 29, 2011 on approving detail plan of ring road IV – Ha Noi capital region, section in the south national road No.18.

- Ring road V (ring road of the region): implementing under the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 561/ QD-TTg dated April 18, 2014 on approving detail plan of ring road 5 – Hanoi capital region.
Building and upgrading a number of priority roads include: road connects highway of Ha Noi – Hai Phong with highway Cau Gie - Ninh Binh; road of My Dinh – Ba Sao - Bai Dinh. On all national roads, gradually expanding section running through urban areas and densely populated areas in conformity with approved plan; constructing bypass roads in necessary urban areas.
2.2. Railway

Existing railway lines:

- To upgrade and gradually modernize railway of north - south, section in the region is about 33 km long to reach an average train running speed of 80-90 km/h for passenger train and 50 - 60 km/h for cargo train.

- To renovate, upgrade and gradually put technical grade into national railways: Hanoi - Lao Cai, section in the region has a length of 42.5 km; Hanoi – Hai Phong has a length of approximately 96 km; Dong Anh – Quan Trieu about 54.6 km, section in the region has a length of 18.5 km; Hanoi - Dong Dang railway is about 156 km, section in the region is about 22.5 km.

- To renovate and upgrade railway stations with large transport needs to improve service quality and increase market share of transport on railways, giving priority to north-south route and Hanoi - Lao Cai railway.

Newly constructed railway lines:

- To complete and put into operation, using entire railway of Yen Vien - Pha Lai - Ha Long - Cai Lan, approximately 129 km long.

- To research to build high-speed railway of north - south, double track, size of 1,435 mm, out of which, and preparing necessary conditions to prioritize construction of Hanoi – Vinh section.

- To research and construct railway lines: east ring railway (Yen Vien - Lac Dao - Ngoc Hoi about 80 km long) of focal spot of Hanoi; railway links with Hai Phong - Lach Huyen seaport, approximately 32.65 kilometers.

- To research and construct railway lines: Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong; Hanoi - Dong Dang.
Researching to build railway lines after 2020: coastal railway of Nam Dinh – Thai Binh - Hai Phong - Quang Ninh, about 120 km; Ha Long - Mui Chua - Mong Cai, about 150 km.
Ha Noi urban railway: completing and putting into operation a number of urban railways in Ha Noi (Cat Linh - Ha Dong, Nhon - Hanoi railway station); at the same time, continuing to invest in other urban railway lines under the approved plan.

2.3. Seaway
Sea port:

- Hai Phong seaport is national general port, international gateway (class 1A), including functional wharf areas:

+ Lach Huyen wharf is a key wharf of the port, mainly general cargo, import and export container in the far sea route; receiving 100,000 ton ships, container ships with a carrying capacity of 8,000 TEU; being capable of combining international transshipment cargo. Infrastructure, synchronous and modern technology of handling, management and exploitation at international standards. Having logistics hub in adjacent industrial and service park. Lach Huyen wharf is investment focus in shorterm, including wharfage, technical infrastructure system connecting national networks; building to hit capacity of 35-41 million tones/year by 2020.

+ Dinh Vu wharf is synthetic container terminal on near sea route with specialized terminals, receiving vessels up to 20,000 tonnes and larger vessels must offload to be suitable for maritime conditions; building to hit capacity of 18-20 million tonnes/year by 2020.
3. Priority investment projects
To give priority to investment in projects which increase regional links, linkage among transport modes and solve traffic congestion, being a driving force for regional development (details in the attached appendix).

4. Estimated land fund

Land area for development of system national transport infrastructures in northern key economic region under the plan is 21,800 ha, accounting for 1.4% of region area (excluding urban transport and local transport). Additional land area for the project is about 10,900 ha, out of which, paddy land area is 3,560 hectares.
IV. Key solutions, policies
1. Solutions, policies on transport development

- To create equality business environment for economic sectors, to encourage all economic sectors to take part in the business of transport services.

- To accelerate restructuring of transportation market, giving priority to investment in transport modes of big volume such as national railway, urban railway, inland waterways, in order to reduce pressure on road. Renovating technology of handling in transport hub, applying advanced transport technologies, developing synchronously transport supporting services, multimodal transport, improving quality of logistics services.

- To restructure cargo transport vehicles in direction of focusing on investment in container transport vehicles on railway, inland waterway and seaway; improving container handling capacity at cargo gathering hub, especially key areas of production, consumption. Encouraging enterprises to renovate and modernize means of transport, loading and unloading equipment and improving service quality to guarantee comfort, safety and environmental protection.
- To promote application of information technology in management, administration and operation of transport system; establishing transport control centers in major cities, especially in Ha Noi capital and on highways to regulate transport; synchronously implementing solutions to ensure traffic safety; strengthening weight inspection vehicle; propagandizing and disseminating to improve understanding, awareness of obeying traffic law, strictly handling violations of traffic law.

2. Measures and policies on development of transport infrastructure
- To promote implementation of the Government’s Decree No.10/2013/ ND-CP dated January 11, 2013 on management, use and exploitation of road transport infrastructure assets.
- Exploiting effectively existing system of transport infrastructure, organizing to implement effectively maintenance of traffic infrastructure to ensure project quality, timely repairing damage, malfunction, black spots which are potential to cause unsafe traffic; promoting management and efficient exploitation of land of road safety corridors; strengthening protection of road safety corridors, against encroachment in order to reduce cost of compensation and site clearance when building and developing transport infrastructure; strengthening management of maintenance and improve efficiency in use and management of road maintenance funds.

- To strengthen coordination with local authorities to accelerate clearance work and progress; building policies on clearance, out of which, associating specifically responsibilities of local head and actors of clearance; consolidating operation of land fund development centers in localities to provide land, funding for construction of resettlement areas.

- To promote application of science and technology in design, construction, exploitation and maintenance of transport infrastructure to contribute to accelerate and improve quality and lower cost of the work; protecting environment, respond to climate change and sea level rise; encouraging application of new technologies and new materials.

- To review, build and finish standards, technical regulations, economic and techniques norms in fields of surveying, design, construction, acceptance, maintenance ... in transport field. Improving technical standards of road to be suitable with road standards of ASEAN to ensure connectivity and international integration.
3. Measures and policies on capital resource

- To strengthen management of investment from the State budget capital and government bond capital to allocate concentrated capital and improve investment efficiency. Improving transparency and accountability in management and use of the State budget funds and development cooperation capital resource in public investments. The State budget only focus on investment in areas where recoverability of capital is not high or unable to mobilize private investment.

- To mobilize resources, create favorable conditions to attract investment from all economic sectors to develop and upgrade transport infrastructure in many forms. Boosting socialization of investment and development of transport infrastructure, especially investment in form of public-private partnerships (PPP) to create a breakthrough in raising capital on basis of researching and selecting models to complete PPP investment policy framework in transport field; providing adequate, timely information, list of investment projects under PPP.
- To develop incentive mechanisms and policies for enterprises taking part in investment and construction of particular important transport infrastructure projects, specific regional projects, combining with ensuring national defense and security, such as giving priority to exploit related services along road (petrol stations, rest stops, truck weight station, advertisement...).
4. Solutions and policies on sustainable development and environmental protection in transport field

- To improve system of standards, regulations, guidance documents, provisions for environmental protection in transport field, promoting propagation and dissemination, education and enforcing implementation of environmental protection law.
- Development of transport links with environmental protection objectives, integrating climate change factors, sea level rise, saving and efficiency energy using from stage of setting up plans, projects.

- To improve quality of supervision and management of environmental protection in transport field. Evaluating environment from formulation of strategy, plans and projects ... Closely monitoring implementation of environmental protection regulations in transport construction projects and transport industrial facilities in order to minimize negative impacts on environment.

- Traffic projects and transport vehicles must have technical and quality standards in accordance with requirements of environmental protection; using techniques and advanced technology in construction of traffic works; controlling quality of means and fuel, reducing environmental pollution; encouraging use of clean vehicles and clean energy.
V. Organizing implementation
1. Ministry of Transport shall functions as the main implementer, in collaboration with ministries, agencies and People's Committees of centrally – run provinces and cities in the region to organize management and implementation of the plan. During implementation process, conducting a review, assessment for timely additional adjustments to meet actual requirements.

2. Ministries, agencies and People's Committees of centrally-run provinces and cities in the region review and adjust relevant plans which are in consistent with this plan; at the same time, coordinating with Transport Ministry, ministries, agencies and localities in implementation process to ensure that the plan will be implemented feasibility synchronously, creating a continuous transport system to improve capacity of entire network.

Long Giang
Source: moj.gov.vn