Hanoi. Vietnam will ban fossil-fuel motorcycles and mopeds in the heart of its capital, Hanoi, starting in July 2026 as part of a nationwide effort to curb air pollution, state media reported.

The directive, issued by Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, will apply to areas inside and along the main ring road that encircles central Hanoi. Local authorities have been tasked with phasing out the two-wheelers by the deadline.

Motorcycles remain the primary mode of transport for most of Hanoi’s eight million residents. The city is home to nearly seven million motorcycles and just over a million cars. But as incomes rise and more people switch to private vehicles, air pollution from traffic has become a growing concern. Hanoi is frequently shrouded in thick smog and ranks among the world’s most polluted cities.

Vietnam is also pushing to switch from fossil-fuel vehicles to electric vehicles to reduce pollution and address climate change. Local EV maker VinFast is leading the transition, holding nearly a fifth of the country’s electric vehicle market share, according to the European Chamber of Commerce. However, it still controls only a small share of the two-wheeler market.

Many residents worry about how the ban will be implemented. Nguyen Van Hung, 62, has spent three decades driving a motorcycle taxi in Hanoi and now works for Grab, a ride-hailing app used widely across Southeast Asia. He fears the ban will hit the working class hardest.

“It will affect people who rely on motorbikes to earn a living,” he said, pointing to delivery drivers, commuters and ride-hailing services. “How can people just discard their vehicles?”

Others say the timeline is unrealistic. Hoang Duy Dung, 32, an office clerk who works in the city center, said he supports cleaner air but believes the plan is moving too fast.

“We need better public transport and more support before such a big change,” he said.

Central Hanoi is home to much of the city’s business activity, including offices, government buildings and commercial hubs.

A second phase of the ban, set to begin in January 2028, will expand the restriction to a wider area and cover all fossil-fuel two-wheelers, while also limiting some gasoline-powered cars.

Other measures include upgrading waste-treatment plants, using digital tools to monitor pollution, and introducing stricter penalties for violators. Whistleblowers could be rewarded for reporting environmental breaches.