What can be improved on public transport. What can be improved in the work of public transport. We change to trolleybuses
Stavropol, February 20 - AiF-SK. Travel in buses and minibuses of the capital of the region has once again risen in price by two rubles. Meanwhile, the quality of his work leaves much to be desired. About what could be changed and why this is not happening, we talk with the leader public organization "Committee of Public Security" in Stavropol by Dmitry Fedoseev, who circulated " open letter»Demanding to finally pay attention to an acute problem.
Dmitry, you have already repeatedly addressed both the regional and city authorities in this regard. Why can't they hear you?
Yes, we have already written about this many times. After reading the answer to the letter to the Governor of the Stavropol Territory published in the electronic information system "Demokrator" with proposals to improve transport services for the population of Stavropol, it becomes clear that the municipal economy committee of the regional capital administration does not see an opportunity for this. We offered to switch from minibuses to buses.
The main reason is indicated - focus on making a profit when implementing commercial activities carriers. While agreeing that the issue of profitability is in the first place for private carriers, we cannot agree that it is also at a decisive place for a municipal carrier.
Every resident of the city pays taxes, including on the maintenance of urban public transport. And this means that he has the right to receive modern, serviceable, clean transport of the required capacity class according to the established schedule, taking into account the interests of the majority of citizens, along the most significant routes connecting all areas of the city and socially significant objects.
I would like to remind you that "city routes should provide transport links for residential and industrial areas of the city, links with cultural, household and sports and recreational facilities, train stations, airports, stations, platforms, marinas, etc." (Clause 12 of the Provisional Rules for the Carriage of Passengers and Baggage by car in Russian Federation dated 09.29.97). The statement about the low profitability of the "transportation business", which is taxed according to a simplified scheme, is also unfounded. In fact, this is already unfair competition with municipal carriers.
- What are your main complaints about the city "wheels"?
The policy of increasing "small" public transport on already busy city highways leads only to a decrease in the low quality of passenger service and an increase in discontent among motorists.
Buses and trolleybuses purchased over these 4 years are used ineffectively due to lack of proper maintenance, frequent breakdowns, lack of proper repair facilities and spare parts.
- What would you change on city routes?
For a long time, route No. 29M could not cope with the passenger traffic from the new "Perspective" microdistrict, but the decision to launch the buses was made relatively recently.
Extension of route No. 8 to the "Perspective" microdistrict, which is served exclusively by buses of especially small capacity, does not allow residents of the microdistrict to travel comfortably to Lenin and Mira streets.
Of course, as a business, private transportation should not be eradicated. The point is that the number of buses and trolleybuses on loaded routes with maximum load during peak hours should be increased, their route network should be restored and optimized. Nothing prevents private traders from servicing routes with low passenger traffic (which is adequate for the capacity category of GAZelles) or working earlier and later. And on busy routes, work as an auxiliary transport, for example, in the daytime, when the intervals of buses and trolley buses increase. Commercial transport should be given back its main role - auxiliary transport of superior comfort, and large-capacity buses and trolleybuses given the main role in the transport of passengers.
The question of restoring the trolleybus route No. 6 or No. 10 has already been raised several times, however, the matter does not move from a dead point to this day. SMUTP has already received a proposal to close route No. 5, due to its minimal social significance and replace it with bus route No. 19, and transfer the rolling stock to route No. 6.
By the way, during the collection of signatures for the resumption of service of the trolleybus route No. 6, more than 1,000 potential passengers from among the residents of the Industrial District signed them.
In addition, during peak hours, the main load on bus routes No. 12 and No. 13 is taken by PAZs and duplicate routes of fixed-route taxis No. 12, No. 13, No. 43, and not by large-capacity buses. On route 12 there are only 3 "at most" and not a single municipal one, and on route 13 they come to stops at unreasonably long intervals, "skipping" rush hours, especially in the evening, following "to the garage" without passengers.
Convenient public transport (OT) is a real complex task that includes a number of measures. But even simple solutions can significantly improve the quality of mass passenger transportation. Today we will talk about them. Unfortunately, such solutions are scarcely present in our cities or are very poorly implemented. We dedicate this article to everyone involved in development. transport complex in cities. And if you are not in any way connected with the administration, then share it so that the information reaches the responsible officials.
Busboards
In Russia, curbs at bus and trolleybus stops are no different from ordinary ones. As a result, OT drivers drive up to the bus stop slowly and do not stop close to the curb, which leads to negative consequences. First, the speed has to be reduced before approaching the bus stop. Secondly, there is a large gap between the landing platform of the stop and the bus. Even in Moscow and St. Petersburg, one can observe a situation where all the advantages of low-floor transport are canceled out due to the fact that the bus stopped far from the boarding platform. Third, tire wear increases. No matter how professional is driving, sometimes the rubber contacts the curb, which affects its condition.
However, a solution to this problem already exists. In the 90s, a completely new curb, the so-called "busboard", which later received the name "Kassel curb", was tested in Kassel, Germany. Such a curb is a special concrete profile with a curved part, somewhat reminiscent of a small ramp. When hitting him, the rubber behaves in the same way as when in contact with a speed bump and is not damaged. During tests in Kassel, a similar border showed itself with better side... As a result, by 2001 every sixth Kassel bus stop was equipped with busboards, and by 2010 such a solution appeared at most bus stops in Germany. At the same time, the triumphant procession of busboards went through other European countries, and now such curbs can be found in many cities - from Zurich to Prague. Maybe it's time to use them in our cities too ?!
Traffic lights at stops
In cities throughout the post-Soviet space, tram stops are often combined with the carriageway and do not have a separate platform. If the tram stopped for the disembarkation and embarkation of passengers, then according to traffic rules, drivers must stop to let them pass. Unfortunately, this does not happen every time. And not always because of the malicious intent of the drivers - sometimes the motorist simply does not notice that the tram has already stopped. And the very organization of traffic in such sections pushes it to go faster and not slow down ...
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Of course, ideally, all tram stops should be physically separate and have their own platform of the so-called Viennese type. But as an intermediate solution, another solution is also suitable - the installation of special traffic lights, which, with the help of sensors, automatically turn on the red light while passengers board the tram. A tram has arrived? Turned on red! Simple and convenient for both drivers and OT passengers. By the way, sometimes there is another situation: there seems to be a traffic light at the tram stop, but people risking their lives run to the red light because they are afraid of being late. Sensors could help in this case as well, helping passengers not to miss the desired transport.
Park & \u200b\u200bRide
But this solution is found in Russia, but its implementation leaves much to be desired. We are talking about intercepting parking lots, which in Europe are usually denoted by the words Park & \u200b\u200bRide or the letters P + R - in Europe it has long been understood that personal and public transport complement each other perfectly.
Intercepting parking lots Park & \u200b\u200bRide - best example... Their meaning is for the driver to independently drive to the nearest station, and then change to public transport. It seems that intercepting parking lots are also found here, but the whole question is in the implementation. Firstly, we have very few such sites. For example, in Moscow there are only about 20 of them per city of many millions! Secondly, we have them located near metro stations, although the main traffic jams accumulate at the entrance to the city. Therefore, many, having reached the station, prefer to move on rather than waste time stopping and not the most comfortable descent into the subway.
But European Park & \u200b\u200bRides are arranged according to a different principle. The first place here is not the metro, but the railway transport - that is, modern electric trains. It is also important that such parking lots appear outside the city so that motorists do not load the main highways and do not harm the environment in the center. Third, the availability of the environment is very important. Park & \u200b\u200bRide are specially made on the same level with the nearest railway stations and are located as close to them as possible. That is, the driver does not need to walk an additional 500 meters, go down and go up stairs, cross the road, etc. This is what creates the comfort in using such parking lots.
The success of this transport-planning solution depends on two factors: the location of the parking space and its equipment, as well as the level of public transport services (frequency / interval, speed, convenient route network). In fact, the driver makes a choice in favor of intercept parking if such a multimodal mode of transportation is beneficial to him - from a financial point of view or from a time-consuming standpoint. In general, this measure works only in the case of coordinated development of the transport system - simultaneously with the development of the system of intercepting parking lots, the development of public transport services is going on: the quality of the rolling stock is increasing, the route network is expanding, the intervals of movement are decreasing, etc.
Maria Rozhenko
assistant professor High school urbanism them. A.A. Vysokovsky National Research University Higher School of Economics
"Tricky" tickets
In Russia and other post-Soviet countries, the tariff policy is usually ingenuous: you buy a ticket and go. At the same time, the number of stops or stations does not matter: for the same price, even in Moscow, you can go even to the other end of the city, or you can drive just one stop. But in European countries the tariff policy is more flexible. You can not only buy a full day or weekend pass, but also purchase so-called "short tickets" if you only need to travel a few stations. Of course, these tickets are cheaper and greatly increase mobility within the surrounding areas.
Another interesting type of tickets for public transport is group tickets. Let's say you are driving somewhere big company, each participant of which needs to buy a ticket. In this situation, it will almost certainly turn out that traveling in several cars will not only be more comfortable, but also more profitable. European transport experts have long assessed this situation and came to the conclusion that the introduction of a group tariff encourages residents to use public transport.
Both of these solutions can be implemented without problems in our country, at least - on ground public transport.
Automatic machines
Another solution is ticket vending machines, which are installed right at bus stops or in the cabin of the bus. In our country, as a rule, tickets for public transport are sold either at special ticket offices or from the driver. As a result, more time is spent on purchasing a ticket, queues are formed, and in the case of buying a ticket from the driver, the departure of the bus is also delayed. The installation of ticket machines could help solve this problem. First, it is cheaper to install and maintain such a machine than paying a salary to a cashier. Secondly, the presence of a convenient vending machine helps passengers to buy tickets more often, rather than trying to get through. Finally, thirdly, with the help of automatic machines it is possible to relieve the driver of a bus, trolleybus or tram from the functions of a cashier unusual for him, as well as to increase the speed of transport.
As you can see, many solutions are easy enough to implement, but they can significantly improve the operation of public transport and the comfort of passengers. Of course, they should be part of a larger OT comfort strategy. Its development and implementation is already a separate conversation.
Situation 1. There was no bus for 45 minutes. Perhaps the equipment broke down, perhaps the driver got sick ... There can be many reasons, the result is one. Bus a specific route did not arrive in time to the stop where people were waiting for him. Nothing wrong..
Situation 2: The bus passed a stop. Perhaps something broke in the car and the driver was on his way to the repair site. Perhaps he was just in a hurry to finish the shift ... There may be many reasons, the result is one. The bus of a certain route did not arrive in time to the stop where people were waiting for it. It happens. Nothing wrong…
Situation 3, situation 4, situation 5…. There are many reasons, the result is one. People could not leave when they had to leave. According to the timetable. According to contracts concluded by the city administration with carriers. According to the verbal and written assurances of the leaders, who checked the above facts, but did not confirm .. It happens. Nothing wrong…
Of course, it's okay if we talk about specific situations. The question is what to do if similar situations repeated on different routes, in different parts of the city, with different carriers every day with enviable regularity?
The algorithm for solving the problem, proposed by the city administration, is as follows:
1. Call the proposed phones and state the essence of the claim.
2. Get a reasoned answer about the measures taken.
I have used this scheme several times to convey to the transport workers the existence of a specific problem. The scheme does not work .. More precisely, the process is underway, there is no result. The call, of course, is accepted, the complaint is recorded, the information is communicated to the carrier .. And this is where it all ends. The carrier decides at its discretion whether to recognize the complaint as justified or not (they say, we are good - they slander us). In the above situations, the claims were rejected - "you're lying, there was nothing like that." Indeed, if the carrier recognizes the claim as justified, then this means that certain sanctions may be applied to him. Does he need it?
All city buses are equipped with navigation devices. They say that the entire route of the bus can be tracked in minutes. But if it is possible to trace the entire path of a particular bus, then why do drivers commit violations? Are you not afraid of fines? Or maybe the instrument readings change?Besides, according to the concluded contracts, only inspectors of DGI can file claims with the carrier based on the results of inspections. Yes, in these cases, the carrier can admit his guilt (and even then not always). Then one wonders what is the use of calling and complaining to us, ordinary users transport service, if as a result you get the answer - "Are you lying?" ..
There are several suggestions for solving this problem. But in order to voice them, you need to know how the residents of Vologda themselves react to violations in the work of public transport. In this regard, the question - please tell me what you do when you personally encounter any violations in the work of public transport (nviolations of traffic intervals, cancellation of flights, traffic violations by the driver, rudeness and inattention on the part of the conductor or driver, etc.)? Thank you!
Will Yandex help passengers of public transport in Cherepovets, why trams were prevented by dedicated lanes for buses, how to optimize the route network - these and other questions Mayor Yuri Kuzin discussed with the most active subscribers of his VKontakte page last night. The meeting was attended by the head of the transport department Viktor Gashin, director of convoy No. 1456 Viktor Smirnov, subscribers Alexander Mokin, Dmitry Eismont, Alexander Gubanov, Nikolai Golovkin, Yegor Manuilov, Olga Kuzmina and Ilya Brezgunov.
In introductory remarks Yuri Kuzin noted that Cherepovets “intuitively went its own way of developing public transport,” preserving the municipal enterprise and seriously renewing its vehicle fleet with a loan from the World Bank for Reconstruction and Development. As a result, there are no minibuses in the city today, but there is competition.
The head of the city gave the example of Ivanovo and Yaroslavl, where the fare is lower than in Cherepovets, but the municipality spends a lot of money annually on subsidies to carriers, while passengers are carried by rusty Gazelles.
“I am given the example of Ivanovo, where the fare is 16 rubles, or Yaroslavl ... But in Yaroslavl, subsidies amount to 500 million rubles, and the quality of transportation does not shine. We do not have “grooves” or minibuses, which are the basis for organizing public transport there. I think that if we launch such a model, the mayor's office will be inundated with complaints. Or they talk about Ivanovo, where schoolchildren travel for almost six rubles. In Ivanovo - about 200 million rubles in subsidies. We have no direct subsidies ”.
Alexander Gubanov continued the conversation, suggesting to use a more flexible tariff policyby installing electronic readers in buses. Such a system, according to the citizen, will allow varying the fare depending on the length of the trip, time of day, day of the week and fundamentally change the system of benefits provided.
Nikolai Golovkin suggested that the city authorities cooperate with Yandex, saying that bus movements can be tracked on Yandex.Maps, and all that is needed for this is a fundamental decision, since the search engine is ready to provide such functionality for free if information is available. The convoy director Viktor Smirnov explained that "without any problems" such data can be obtained at any time. Yuri Kuzin ordered to study the possibility of implementing the project as soon as possible.
Subscriber Alexander Mokin turned the discussion on other tracks, criticizing the city authorities for the state of tram traffic.
“Let's admit that since 1996, the city authorities have done very little to develop the tram,- called Mokin. - The first depot was closed, Electrotrans lost half of its repair capacity, they were forced to cut a part of the rolling stock, which simply had nowhere to put. There hasn't been any updates either since 1993. "
The young man drew attention to the fact that last years the bus depot of the convoy No. 1456 was repeatedly renewed at the expense of the budget. Also, Alexander Mokin pointed to the facts of unfair, in his opinion, competition between trams and private bus carriers. We are talking about the Express bus route No. 38.
“What kind of express train is it if it travels throughout the city with all stops, collects passengers and doubles the tram by two-thirds?- the citizen asks ... "This is not an express!"
Alexander Mokin noticed that the experiment with dedicated lanes for buses turned into the fact that personal transport began to walk more often on tram tracks - where possible. In fact, the improvement in conditions for the bus turned into problems for the tram.
Yuri Kuzin promised to analyze the remarks, noting the key point - the renewal of the tram fleet will go through the purchase of two or three cars annually, but no more, since the cost of a new bus and a new tram differs several times.
Olga Kuzmina again raised the issue of the route Zasheksninsky District - DOK. Viktor Smirnov confirmed the previous position: polls show that the regular route will not be in demand, good passenger traffic is observed only during peak hours, and it is more efficient to launch custom buses in this direction for employees of enterprises in the DOK.
Summing up the results, Mayor Yuri Kuzin noted that all proposals will be taken into account, but the authorities will not conduct rash experiments on public transport. The head of the city stated that the proposed ideas mainly solve tactical problems:
“These are the ideas of the next two or three years, but what will happen in ten years if the current growth rate of personal transport continues?- the mayor puzzled those present. - We need fundamentally different schemes for solving these problems. For example, we are criticized for the allocated lanes for buses, but sooner or later the situation will be such that the issue of the movement of personal transport will have a clearly expressed priority number two ”.
Andrey Nenastiev
2017, 12:21 3140 Views
Marina Prodius
Almost every “horseless” inhabitant of the capital faces the “delights” of public transport every day.
Anxious waiting at the bus stop gives way to a forced "massage" in a crowded bus, dirty minibus or trolleybus. Car owners, although they drive comfortably, are forced to spend money on fuel and car repairs due to broken roads.
Head over heels in problems
Today there are not enough places on the road for everyone. Experts assure that if further nothing is done in this direction, then the capital will face a transport collapse. Maybe even worse than in the late 1990s. We must understand that the quality of life of the population, the efficiency of the city's economy, the ability to use its urban planning potential directly depend on the functioning of passenger transport. In recent years, the structure of demand for passenger transportation has changed. With the increase in the number of cars, the load on the roads has increased. Transport has become cramped in the existing network of streets. In addition to discomfort and congestion, pollution increases environment, the number of road traffic accidents (RTA) is growing, the issue of finding parking spaces remains unresolved. All this requires urgent optimization of the existing system of urban passenger transport, which does not meet today's needs.
The transport infrastructure in the city has been rendered unsuitable for the movement of rolling stock, says Natalya Lipskaya, an expert on transport certification and logistics. - One of the main reasons is the illiterate management of the municipal services by the mayor of the city Dorin Chirtoaca. As soon as he took this post, the first thing he started to do was cut the asphalt and disassemble paving slabswhich were laid before him and were in good condition. At the same time, he did not think that after replacing the pipes, the road infrastructure would have to be put in order. He simply deliberately killed over 50% of roads and sidewalks.
It is necessary to improve the road infrastructure, namely to build bridges, junctions, expand roads, - said the head of the Department of Transport (a subdivision in the structure of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Industry and Transport) of the Technical University of Moldova, Doctor of Technical Sciences Victor Ceban. - We are still engaged in inertia only in road repair, while we need a complete reconstruction of the roadway. We are lagging behind in this area. In addition, by laying additional sections of roads in some places of the city, we would solve many problems. The city also lacks bridges. For example, it would be relevant to build a bridge across the Bik River from st. V. Alexandri to st. Kalya Basarabia. It is necessary to resolve the issue with the Railway Station, reconsider the location of some transport companies, the northern and central bus stations.
Intersection circles are a cheap and effective option to improve road traffic, but only when the certain requirements... However, if there is a constant flow of traffic on the circle during rush hour, of course, there will be problems, and it is impossible to do without a traffic light. The city needs transport interchanges.
You also need to optimize the operation of traffic lights and fully manage their operation online. There have long been intellectual transport systemsregulating traffic flows. This is affordable, but you need to look for effective options. It is also necessary to think about the electronic payment of tickets, which is quite widespread abroad. There is such a project in Chisinau, money was allocated for it, it only needs to be implemented, but no one is doing this, ”the source said.
According to Ms Lipskaya, the poor organization of logistics has led to the fact that route taxis and public passenger transport circulate chaotically and interfere with each other. There is no competent distribution of traffic lanes, zones of public transport stops, a competent approach to parking for private vehicles. This applies to nonresident and foreign vehicles that enter Chisinau. The traffic flow that enters the city is not regulated. Plus, the situation worsened when the traffic police were removed from the city, which regulated the traffic flow and disciplined the drivers. The current situation in the city got out of control. Most often, drivers of cars with foreign license plates violate traffic rules.
Also, the city has a fairly large flow of freight transport due to the lack of a bypass road, which has been talked about for more than 12 years, continues Natalya Lipskaya. - The issue has not yet been resolved, and all freight transport is forced to pass to customs terminals and unloads through the entire city. In addition, new buildings, including supermarkets, residential buildings, etc., which grow like mushrooms after rain, practically do not provide underground and surface parking. Therefore, the municipal council should develop a new regulation in the field of construction of the Chisinau municipality, which would provide for ground and underground parking near newly constructed buildings, both residential and non-residential.
We change to trolleybuses
According to Viktor Cheban, an alternative solution to the problem may be to reduce the attractiveness of the car. There are three main factors that affect the urban life of a city, and if they are not changed, the situation will worsen. The first factor is that the number of cars has sharply increased due to the fact that public transport works poorly, i.e. many former passengers are trying to change to their personal transport. Second, the number of people living in the suburbs has increased, so there are traffic jams at the entrance to the city and along the main arteries during rush hour. The third factor is that small business is mainly developed in the capital, and people need their own transport to be mobile.
The expert is inclined to believe that the work of public transport should be changed so that a person can switch to it. But this will happen only when the citizen sees that he spends less time traveling in public transport, and also does not incur financial losses. Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to update the bus fleet and buy additional trolleybuses so that transport on the main highways works at an interval that suits the residents of the city.
According to the head of the Chisinau Electric Transport Department, Georgy Morgoch, the city trolleybus park is in excellent condition, the city has a sufficient number of trolleybuses to transport passengers. In total there are 302 trolleybuses on the line, of which 200 are new. They will be updated as necessary. But today trolleybuses are up to 60% full and run half empty. The situation is normal during rush hour. Therefore, there is no need to bring more cars to the line yet.
According to the head of the Department of Public Transport and Communications Igor Gamretskiy, all new trolleybuses, including those with electric batteries, are single. Therefore, already at next year it is planned to purchase articulated trolleybuses. To reach the European level, ensure traffic safety and cover a large passenger traffic, we need to switch to trolleybuses with a larger capacity as soon as possible. In addition, if we develop battery-powered trolleybuses, we will be able to provide transport to the suburbs. And somewhere even buses will be replaced by trolleybuses, which are three times more economical. Therefore, as soon as they are certified in Minsk, this rolling stock will be put on the line. This will be the first swallow, and after that it is planned to bring 10-15 more such trolleybuses to the line. For example, they can go on such routes as from the airport to Singera, to Vadul lui Vody, Gidigich, Ialoveni. There is enough charge to get to the city and return several times. Technically it would be profitable without additional investment.
"Coffins" on wheels
We are outraged at how fast route taxis travel around the city, endangering passengers and violating traffic rules. We do not like that drivers behave in a rude manner and often look untidy. And what about the not always clear route network, moreover recently changed again. For example, route 129 is suitable only for a sightseeing tour through the narrow streets of the city center.
Nevertheless, 61% of residents and guests of the city use minibuses, 34% prefer trolleybuses and only 5% use buses. Everyone remembers the days when all minibuses went on strike and the city administration could not cope with the passenger traffic. The idea of \u200b\u200babandoning private minibuses is not yet feasible.
The city will not be able to live without private transportation, but we plan to reduce the number of route taxis to 700, says Gamretsky. - No need to arrange a competition between fixed-route taxis and trolleybuses, buses. The price of this competition is human life. Therefore, we refused to duplicate directions. Only large-capacity vehicles should travel along the central arteries of the city. And where there is no way for him to pass, route taxis should remain. Three or four years ago, 2,400 minibuses were operating in the city. Then their number was reduced to 1.7 thousand. To date, only 1240 vehicles have been inspected.
Minibuses should not be used as the main route transport, as a mass network. They are quite suitable for groups with limited mobility. In addition, today dangerous minibuses will disappear only when they become economically disadvantageous for the owners. We are waiting for the administrators of these enterprises to present their calculations and arguments, and the decision will be made by the municipal council.
Chisinau should say “thank you” to the minibuses and switch to high-capacity transport, ”said Boris Rozhnevsky, chairman of the Federation of the Trade Union of Transport Workers and Road Workers. - Once fixed-route taxis solved the issue transport support and brought the city out of its torpor. But it's time to switch to another type of public transport. Miners drive how and when they want. Nobody has determined how many cars should be on the route, what kind of traffic. Liberty, failure to comply with the schedule leads to big problems on the road. We constantly talk about the fact that public transport is operating at a loss, and minibuses owned by high-ranking officials operate on cost-effective routes.
The decision to remove minibuses from the city is also welcomed by Ms. Lipskaya.
As a rule, administrators are not disciplined and qualified training minibus drivers, and it is not known when they had a medical examination recently. You can often see the driver unkemptly dressed, in shorts, and music is screaming loudly in the cabin. The situation needs to be taken under control. It is necessary to restore the activities of the city bus fleet. It is more convenient to let minibuses into some areas of the city, but this should be government regulation, under the strict supervision of the city council, as it used to be. Route taxis must be with a taxi fleet, with state routing, driver control, compliance with driving safety in the cabin, certification of the vehicle, daily medical control of drivers. Today in this area, anarchy is the mother of order, which is why a large number of road accidents occur, both pedestrians and minibus passengers suffer. The situation has long required a coordinate solution, - said Lipskaya.
Viktor Cheban notes that, given the difficult situation with the budget, the city urgently needs to reconsider its attitude to the work of transport operators-minibuses. There are two options - we buy buses for the bus fleet or develop a public-private partnership. It is only necessary to regulate the mechanism for the formation of the tariff, the number of routes and cars on the routes. Then everything will be fine. The fact is that minibuses at one time exceeded this limit, so the city was reloaded. It is necessary to support only those routes that do not intersect with the main highways, they should be mainly transport routes, and, of course, run in certain areas where there is no access to transport. The main thing is that companies work in the system and compete in quality. As for the fare in the minibus, it should be raised to 4-5 lei. If this is not done, the network and the number of routes are not revised, then entrepreneurs will leave this market. And in conditions when there is not enough transport in the municipal bus fleet, a transport collapse is possible.
Until 2025
Also, Mr. Ceban recalled that in 2013, German and Romanian specialists developed a feasibility study for the development of public transport in Chisinau. They proposed to review the entire public transport network. One of the rational ideas of the program is to allocate independent lanes for public transport in the directions Riscani-Botanica, Chekany-Skulyanka and Botanica-Buyukany. Such a restriction will help streamline public transport and reduce the likelihood of traffic jams due to chaotic rebuilding, which will increase the speed of communication.
Gamretsky also believes that based on the study of the passenger traffic in Chisinau and the current situation in the city, it is necessary to completely change the movement of municipal transport. According to the approved transport strategy, which provides for the replenishment of the trolleybus and bus fleet, equipping all transport units with GPS devices, widening roads, building bridges and more, 220 million euros are needed.
Chisinau does not have that kind of money for the implementation of the project, so everything will not be done right away, says Gamretsky. - Until 2025, we plan to implement it, adapting it to the financial possibilities that we have. So far we have not received a single lei for development. We do not make the roads that we would like to have. But as far as public transport is concerned, we are already working on this topic. And it doesn't matter where the money might come from. The result is important. Of course, the budget of Chisinau does not provide for such funds, so we will ask for a loan from the bank. We must complete the renewal of the trolleybus fleet and do next projectrelated to buses. If we cannot implement it, then we will pay attention to environmentally friendly transport - battery-powered trolleybuses. Thanks to this, several issues are resolved. First, it will improve ecological situation in the town. Secondly, the question of concluding a contract for the purchase of diesel fuel will disappear (is it possible, because its supplier is an enterprise controlled by Mihai Ghimpu? - Ed.). It is also necessary to purchase vehicles of the same model, which will save on the repair of rolling stock. In general, you need the right management.
As for the idea to build a so-called "light metro", Viktor Cheban believes that the metro is effective only when traffic flows are at least 15 thousand people per hour in one direction. According to a study carried out by students of the Technical University and an Israeli group of experts, in Chisinau, the passenger traffic in one direction is just over 5 thousand people. This means that we don't even need a tram. This is the scourge of cities that are less than a million. High-speed trams and metro are within the power of cities with more than 1.5 million inhabitants. Moreover, the implementation of such an idea costs a lot of money.
How do you get townspeople on bicycles?
Modern cities are in dire need of a solution not only transport problemsbut also in improving their ecology. Therefore, according to experts, the creation of bike paths will relieve traffic arteries and improve the ecology of the city. However, in order to transfer people to bicycles, as an alternative to personal transport, it is necessary not only to maximize the safety and improve the traffic conditions for cyclists, but also to popularize this type of transport among the population.
Our problem is that we do not have such a culture, and our mentality differs from the European one, says Mr. Cheban. - First, let the Moldovan be glad that he was able to buy a car for himself. And then, when he will be wasting time, standing in traffic jams, he himself will want to change to a bicycle. But if in these conditions, when there are big traffic jams in the city, we start promoting bicycle transport, then the number of deaths on the roads will greatly increase.
To begin with, you need to highlight along the main roads, and there are not many of them, a lane for cyclists. Just draw a solid line from the curb at a distance of one meter so that drivers can see for two years that they must not drive in there. At the same time, it is necessary to promote the idea that it is necessary to abandon the car if we want to improve the environment. It is also necessary to educate the younger generation. In the meantime, it is possible to develop such a business as bike rentals near large educational institutions and commercial centers.
The main challenge is to change the mentality of people and show how much money and time they actually waste by refusing to switch to bicycles. But the peculiarity of Chisinau is also that our terrain does not allow cycling everywhere. I went down the hill, but it's already hard to climb the hill, - the expert noted.
According to Ms Lipskaya, the idea of \u200b\u200beliminating pollution of the city and switching to an ecological mode of transport is a very good one. But the city is not ready for such an innovation, because the streets in the center are old, narrow, there is no way to make bike paths. But when planning new residential areas and streets, city architects should take this into account so that in 5-7 years this type of transport will also be developed in our country.
In the meantime, we can only hope that someday we will live in a city where it is convenient to move around.