This is officially designated as an "interchange". According the blurb below, an interchange is defined as: "a cluster of installations enable transport users to access several modes of travel (bicycle, public transport, car or train)"—that sounds like a bus station to me.
The interchange is a series of bus lanes, with covered waiting areas. There is no building as such. The buses are local, whisking passengers around the busy streets of populous Hanoi. The interchange was constructed with the assistance of the French government as part of the millennial celebrations of Hanoi (1006-2006), plaque in gallery.
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Long Bien bus interchange (2006-2008)
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One of the most conspicuous achievements of the Ecotrans project is the creation of the Long Bien bus interchange. This interchange is the second one that has been put in Hanoi after the one in Cau Giay, with funding assistance from the European Asia Trans project between 2002 and 2005.
Bus interchanges are places where a cluster of installations enable transport users to access several modes of travel (bicycle, public transport, car or train) and to move from one to the other with ease. These locations enable users to transfer from one mode to another to complete their trips. To be successful, such facilities must meet a number of conditions: There is a close relationship between organisation of mobility and interchange points. The urban concept and functionality of these points must therefore be given careful attention to meet user expectations and requirements in management of their time and mobility. Regardless of the type of interface, success depends upon the attention given to design of the pole and implementation of intermodality. The following are some basic principles that must be observed:
1. Suitable geographic location (upstream from areas where heavy rush-hour congestion for outer urban interfaces occurs) and a quality link to the road network.
2. Drawdown links enabling access to the interchange for all modes of transport and elimination of points of conflict between these modes.
3. Internal structures that provide landmarks for users, as well as an orderly distribution of transportation services, travellers and related concerns; safety is also a crucial consideration.
In addition to providing functional equipment that contributes to an improvement of traffic conditions, the interchange site is a city planning operation that requires a study of the uses of the site, as well how it is to fit into the urban landscape.
In the context of Hanoi, an adaptation of the above model was needed. Two key ideas had to be kept to the fore: Intermodality and improvement of service to users. Furthermore, in Hanoi, a bus interchange must be designed with the following in mind:
Geographic location (at the edge of a major intersection or on a major thoroughfare).
Existence of a proximity transport network (railway line) and future plans for transport infrastructure of the urban metro rail transit (UMRT) type.
Improvement in bus rotation (quick stops off of the main traffic lanes increase traffic fluidity and reduce congestion on the carriageway).
Enhancing the corporate image of public transport (modern infrastructure adds to the value and appeal of the network).
Improvement of user comfort during waiting periods (bus stop shelters off of the main carriageway).
Improved public transport access and greater safety (accessibility of platforms) as well as improved access to activity sites (connection to a university, the city’s historic core, etc.).
Treatment of signage and communication for users.
Creation of a public space.
In the Hanoi context, bus interchanges were understandably not yet perceived as sites where such things as car park-and-ride facilities (among others) are a priority. A functional combination required that land easements be freed up, which is a major problem encountered in the capital. On the other hand, planners had to give attention to park-and-ride facilities for motorcycles and bicycles. Then, when the issue of intermodality came up on Hanoi’s two interchanges (Long Bien and Cau Giay), this required drawdown provisions for taxis and xe om (motorcycle taxis).[1] These private modes of transport are not considered to be public transport according to western references, but in the Hanoi context (where public transport is not quantitatively sufficient), they are complementary.
Opening ceremony
On March 10, 2009, the deputy chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee, Nguyen Van Khoi, deputy chairman of the Île-de-France Regional Council in charge of transportation, Serge Méry, the senior adviser of the Delegation of the European Commission to Vietnam, Willy Vandenberghe, and the Ambassador of France to Vietnam, Hervé Bolot, officially opened the bus interchange.
The design of this infrastructure highlights three points: (i) a new bus interchange is up and running, (ii) traffic conflicts have been reduced, and (iii) the layout features quality architecture and public spaces.
The new bus interchange is up and running, one that is efficacious and able to handle the large volume of bus flows: The site is considered as the most significant achievement for Hanoi’s public transport services (19 bus lines, mainly coming in from Gia Lam, and an inter-regional rail station, Ga Long Bien). It was decided to put the interchange right on the dike road (Yen Phu / Tran Nhat Duat Street) to facilitate transfers. It can handle nearly 300 buses per hour at rush hour and over 3,500 passengers a day. It includes two waiting platforms for users, four stopping zones and dedicated bus right-of-way lanes, which facilitates redistribution of passenger flows into the central and historic quarters of the capital and to suburban areas.
Additional features of this site include: windows for the sale of bus tickets and passes, toilettes, nearby taxi and park-and-drive facilities (motorcycles). The intermodality of the facility is shown here by the quick connection to the Long Bien Train Station that is already providing inter-regional rail links.
Reduction of traffic conflicts:
Previously, conflicts between the different users of the carriageway prevailed in this area (pedestrians/cyclists/motorcyclists/cars/buses/trucks). The interchange was designed to provide a “rotary traffic” movement, which has significantly reduced the number of conflicts. Pedestrian friendly, this project was an opportunity to provide a first safe crossing mechanism over the Yen Phu dike road—crosswalks protected by traffic lights. The drop in conflicts and improvement of traffic fluidity in this sector have enabled a parallel reduction in waiting times for vehicles at stop lights, thereby helping reduce motor exhaust fumes.
Quality architecture and public spaces:
The bus shelters and urban furnishings (public benches, clock, etc.) were designed innovatively in relation with the components of the Hanoi urban landscape in which the project was inserted—the Long Bien Bridge and proximity of the Red River. As for the public space, development of this site will be rounded out by upgrading the zones located down from the Long Bien Bridge access ramp. The space is cut off from traffic by a tree hedge, located on a raised median strip to prevent motorcycle access and planted with local varieties of trees, making it an ideal location for a café.
The three previous points guided finalisation of the project, although some changes had to be made. The access mechanisms had to be readjusted because the platform loading ramps allowed motorcycle access to the site. Some technical changes were required to keep motorcycles off the site, xe om in particular, because of the interference they cause.
Thus, in addition to the functional success of this development and improvement of the public transport network, getting this bus interchange up and running included enhancement of public space in Vietnam’s capital city. And an achievement of deeper meaning, there has been a genuine recovery of the space by the citizens of Hanoi appreciative of their vernacular heritage and reinforcement of the links between the people and one of the historic symbols of the city, Long Bien Bridge.