Binh Duong (VNA) - More than 600 local and international trafficexperts and policymakers are expected to take part in the 12th InternationalConference of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies (EASTS)in Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Duong province next week.

Speakingat a press conference in Binh Duong province on September 14, Khuat Viet Hung,Vice Chairman of the National Committee for Road Safety, said that measures toaddress traffic problems among EASTS member economies would be discussed at themeeting.

Hung,head of the conference’s organising committee, said the biennial event wouldpromote transport research cooperation among EASTS members.

Thisyear, the National Committee for Road Safety is combining the EASTS conferenceand an annual traffic safety conference in HCM City and Binh Duong province.

Theconference in HCM City is themed “Vision and Action Programme for Safe, Greenand Integrated Transport”. It will discuss management of personal vehicles,application of intelligent transport systems (ITS), traffic safety forvulnerable commuters like motorbikes drivers and pedestrians, public transportdevelopment, and sustainable transport development that adapts to climatechange.

The themeof the conference in Binh Duong is “Binh Duong: Vision of a Safe TransportSystem, a Smart City”. It will focus on road safety management, responses aftertraffic accidents, railway safety and inland waterway safety.

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Short-termand long-term solutions for sustainable transport development in the provincewill also be discussed.

In recentyears, Binh Duong has achieved significant economic growth, investmentattraction, urbanisation and transport development, according to Hung.

Binh Duonghas paid special attention to developing an advanced road infrastructure andhas worked closely with agencies and experts to improve the standard of livingfor residents.

“When itcomes to improving transport infrastructure, only big cities are usuallyconsidered. But Binh Duong province was chosen to organise the conferencebecause it plays an essential role in connecting with HCM City and other bigcities in the southern region,” Hung said.

Thedevelopment of transport infrastructure in Binh Duong provides examples for otherprovinces like Long An and Dong Nai and Vung Tau city to follow, he added.

TranThanh Liem, Vice Chairman of the provincial Binh Duong People’s Committee, saidparticipants at the conference will tour major transport projects in theprovince.    

In HCMCity, participants will tour the Underground Metro Construction Site (metroLine No. 1), including the Ben Thanh Market underground station and the Centrefor an Intelligent Transport System at the HCM–Trung Luong Highway.

Hung saidthat transport solutions relied on many fields, including construction,engineering, health, education, communication, law-making and enforcement. Toensure safety, rapid information collection and processing are needed beforemaking decisions.

Scientificresearch and technological applications, especially information technology,have become more urgent than ever.

EASTSseeks to foster and support excellence in transportation research and practice,and to stimulate professional exchange in all aspects and modes of transportamong members.

EASTS was founded in 1994 as a result of a meeting held inJapan with experts in transportation from East Asian economies. They included Vietnam,Australia, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea,Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore,Taiwan and Thailand, among others.

In 2001,under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Transport, the Vietnam Road and BridgeAssociation organised the 4th EASTS conference in Hanoi.-VNA