However, the vehicles can only run at night, according to the decision announced on Monday.

It was made at an urgent meeting between the city legislature, executive agencies, and public organizations held just hours before the ban took effect nationwide on New Year’s Day.

The ban will affect some 60,000 people in the city whose livelihoods depend on these modified vehicles, among which is the famous cyclo.

A large number of city dwellers will also suffer since these vehicles perform many essential services like collecting garbage, selling food and vegetables, and transporting goods.

Vice chairman of the city branch of the Fatherland Front, an umbrella organization of social and political groups, Le Hieu Dang, said the decision was “a necessary move to give the poor more time to find new jobs since Tet is approaching.”

The government’s decision also instructs concerned agencies to provide financial assistance to the soon-to-be unemployed vehicle owners and operators.

The people’s committee directed the Saigon Transportation Mechanical Corporation (SAMCO) to draw up a project to produce four-wheel vehicles and submit it for consideration by next month.

The government’s decision was issued six months in advance.

But Dang said, “The organizations responsible did not advise the city authorities to announce plans on time.”

“Some were irresponsible and failed to understand the social implications. They have been indifferent to people’s concerns. I will propose rebuking them.”

Deputy head of Binh Thanh District’s Private Garbage Collection Organization, Ta Van Quang, said though his organization had sent several letters and suggestions to the district people’s committee seeking support, it had received no response, according to Tuoi Tre.

Quang said its members, who collected household rubbish for a fee of VND10,000 (US$0.62) a month, were among the poorest people.

Many of them had dependants such as old parents and young children, he said.

Besides, he added, the three-wheelers were the only vehicles that could enter many of the city’s narrow alleys to gather the rubbish.

His organization, with 220 vehicles and more than 500 workers, collected about 200 tons of trash daily from the district.

A local resident admitted last week, “Banning the modified vehicles does help keep the streets cleaner.”

But he added, “If the vehicles are banned before others can replace them, households will have garbage piling up and pollution.”

The city’s decision permits these vehicles to operate in the city from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. until June 30.

The vehicles collecting garbage are given an extra two hours until 6 a.m.

But those vehicles without license numbers and pushcarts can only be used until February.

Difficult task

Head of SAMCO, Do Tien Luc, told the media that it would be difficult to make thousands of new vehicles to replace the banned ones within six months due to many issues like finding engine suppliers and import procedures.

Besides, drivers of the new four-wheel vehicles had to practice and take tests for a five-month period to obtain “B2” driving licenses, he pointed out.

Luc promised, however, that his company would try to carry out the city’s instructions - it would soon work on designs for the vehicles and prices to hand them in to the government before the deadline.

Reported by Duc Trung