Vahe Nikoyan: According to the transport network reform, passengers will not have to pay for transfers

ArmInfo. "Our goal is to make the transport network optimal and maximally acceptable financially, we intend to eliminate duplicate routes, so we will unload the streets of the capital and solve the problem related to traffic jams," the head of the working group on carrying out reforms of public transport in Yerevan, vice-mayor Vahe Nikoyan.

According to the new project, it is proposed to reduce the number of existing vehicles and lines by about three times. In accordance with this, instead of the current 115 routes, 42 routes will operate, and instead of 2,039 vehicles - 939. According to the logic of the new network, vehicles will operate on a complementary basis and consistently continue each other. The project is designed to relieve the center of the city by reducing the number of routes. The

vice-mayor also noted that large buses with the length of 18 meters will begin to work in the capital with the beginning of the project, the use of which, in his opinion, will be the best solution for Yerevan. The vice-mayor explained that the length of buses in 18 m is explained by their economy. He recalled that it is the large buses that, thanks to the economy, will reduce costs and thereby reduce the cost of travel.

At the same time, according to the project, a new network of routes is intended for buses, trolleybuses and an integrated metro system, it excludes minibuses. In addition, a number of standards were adopted with regard to the carrying capacity and technical capabilities of roads and stops, the volume of passenger traffic, the frequency of arrival of vehicles, etc.

The vice-mayor also said that the reform of public transport in Armenia will not be an occasion for the reduction of drivers. "At the moment, drivers are overloaded and one person works in two shifts, using our new system, two drivers will work on each route, which will lead to the creation of new jobs," Vahe Nikoyan stated.

The vice-mayor also noted the fact that according to the project public transport will start work half an hour earlier - that is, from 6:30, and earlier public transport started work at 7 o'clock, and the transport will work until midnight, while earlier it was working up to 11 o'clock in the morning. Nikoyan also drew attention to the fact that the intervals will be shorter, thus, the average waiting time at the stop will be about 3 minutes.  At the same time, the vice-mayor stressed the fact that the transportation will work according to schedule.

As for the issue of the fare, then, according to Nikoyan, the cost will not depend on the number of transfers.  According to the vice-mayor, according to preliminary estimates, about 40% of the residents of the capital will travel without transplants, about 30% with one change, therefore, the rest of the population of Yerevan will travel with two transplants. The maximum number of transfers will be 3, however, according to this reform, passengers will not have to pay for transplantations. However, the fare will increase or not, it is not clear yet. "The main priority for us is to make travel as accessible to all our citizens as possible.The principle of the new system is that the ticket system will be constructed in such a way that a person will pay once for one route, despite transfers (time, kilometers, number of stops), is not yet determined," said Nikoyan.

Regarding the funds for this project, the vice-mayor noted that two options are possible: either involving an authoritative foreign organization, or if this option does not work, the Yerevan mayor's office is ready to invest. At the same time, the vice-mayor explained that there is an oral agreement with the European Investment Bank. "But we, first of all, look forward to attracting a private foreign operator," said Nikoyan.  As for the timing of the project, the vice-mayor noted that there are no deviations from the schedule so far and by the end of the year it is planned to conclude relevant agreements. It should be noted that on January 18, the first meeting of the Expert Working Group on Public Transport Reform was held in Yerevan, where the Head of the Working Group, Deputy Mayor of Yerevan Vahe Nikoyan presented the project developed by the WYG consultant, which will be examined by the members of the working group.