Abstract
Statistics are provided for the number of vehicles in Hanoi city, showing trends over the last 20-30 years. There are few cars, an increasing number of bicycles and a rapidly increasing proportion of motorcycles. Bus and tram systems have suffered from a number of problems and currently only serve 2-3% of the population. Although the majority of incomes are low, housing standards are improving and it is anticipated that car ownership will grow. It is suggested that Hanoi should develop a comprehensive urban transportation policy based on a supply led approach. A number of recommendations are listed including traffic restraint, infrastructure development and encouragement of the use of public transport.