The order to develop a detailed action plan for the large-scale transformation of the transport system of the region was given by the Governor of the Astrakhan region Igor Babushkin. The roadmap will be created on the basis of transport planning documents of the Astrakhan urban agglomeration and the Astrakhan region submitted by ROSDORNIA. Representatives of the traffic police, Astrakhan administration, Astrakhan Passenger Service, road transport complex will join in its development and implementation. This work will be coordinated by the Chairman of the Government of the Astrakhan region Oleg Knyazev.
The draft transport planning documents, prepared after a thorough analysis of the transport network of the region and surveys of residents, were presented by the Acting Deputy Director General of the FAA "ROSDORNIA" Ekaterina Bryazgina. The specialists of the institution propose to radically change the system of Astrakhan public transport: eliminate unproductive duplication of routes, partially change the routes, use only large buses with an interval of no more than 10 minutes on the main routes, integrate urban and suburban routes – so that people can move "seamlessly" inside the agglomeration. It is also planned to build terminal stations for drivers and new stops.
"The average working time of public transport will increase from seven to thirteen hours, which gives more time for economic activity. People will be able to stay longer in the city center, go about their business, realizing that they will be able to go home without problems at nine and ten o'clock in the evening," Ekaterina Bryazgina explained.
The transformations will affect not only the regional center, but also sparsely populated and remote areas. Among the proposals are the resumption of some routes, the change of routes, the introduction of social transportation on demand – for example, for medical and cultural purposes.
The transport reform will be phased. A number of routes will be launched from October 1, the rest – from December 1, 2022. But the preparatory work will begin in February. That is why Governor Igor Babushkin ordered to develop an action plan by January 31. The document will also undergo public hearings.
"We there is a lot of work to be done, everything needs to be done promptly. Already this year, both in the city and in the region, a new public transport scheme should start working. After that, with the support of the Ministry of Transport, we will proceed to updating the rolling stock," the head of the region stressed, noting that the project must be synchronized with the master plan.
For the Astrakhan region, the problem of imperfection of the public transport system is one of the most painful. The main mode of transportation is small-sized minibuses of private carriers. They can't cope with passenger traffic, they don't follow the traffic schedule, they set fares themselves and often stop working early in the evening, especially in winter. The new model of passenger transportation will significantly improve the quality, convenience and safety of public transport.