A SAFE ROUTE

Proper functioning of the urban passenger transport is important for economic and social development of any megalopolis.  With further development of the city itself, the load on public transportation increases as well. Moreover, inevitably arise the problems related to providing transportation services for the public. That is what the city of Baku has faced in recent years. The problems have acquired such a scale that repeatedly have been voiced in the speeches of the president of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. It must be admitted that respective institutions have tried to solve the problems, but fundamental improvements have not yet taken place. Recently, a number of important decisions in this respect have been made. But again they followed the orders from the Head of the State. 

Reforms and problems

It should be mentioned that during the recent years in the transport sector of Azerbaijan, as well as in many other spheres, a number of reforms and transformations have been implemented.  Particularly, extensive efforts were made to improve the quality of bus-passengers transportation and eliminate accidents in public transportation of Baku. In particular, the number of carriers operating the bus routes has been reduced from more than 170 to 32, and the bus fleet has been renovated. Likewise, in the frame of introduction of cashless payment in public transportation, payment cards went on sale in January of this year. Card-based system of the payments is applied in 40 routes that cover about 800 from 2500 buses currently in operation. The cost of the Yol Card is 3 AZN which includes a deposit of 2 AZN, and 1 AZN is loaded onto balance.

The process of applying this system is planned to be finished completely until 2015. Till that time POS - terminals will be installed at all bus stops of Baku, with the help of which the citizens will be able to fill up their balance and pay for utilities. Despite all the innovations, as it was mentioned above, the quality of passenger transportation by public buses in the capital city needs to be improved.

Firstly, it must be started with technical condition and look of public transportation - most of them are already out of service in terms of the atmospheric emission of hazardous substances. Furthermore, sometimes technical problems appear, and the untidy appearance of those buses spoils the view of the city.  

Significant transformations should take place in the sphere of ensuring cleanness and hygiene in buses, eliminating the smell of petrol and dirt inside the buses is extremely important for comfortable transportation of passengers. Speaking about the safety of passengers and the general level of quality of passenger transportation in the capital, it should be mentioned that the situation is quite complicated. Constant deviation from the route, violating the traffic rules (over speeding, rules on overtaking moving into the oncoming lane, etc.) and debarkation of passengers in unauthorized places leads to the life danger for passengers, as well as for the drivers. As a result of hiring drivers without experience, there are problems with the passenger services as well. You may often face the driver's mistreatment to the passenger. 

Listed problems are enough to think about the fundamental reforms. In addition, the process seems to have started. Thus, recently very important step was made towards improving the quality of passenger transportation - the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan has decided to create the BakuBus LTD under the executive power of Baku, whose equity share will belong to the state and it will operate on the self-financing principle. BakuBus is established to organize the transportation of passenger according to the international standards, provide the capital with modern transportation systems, as well as with technical and ecological safety. 

To formulate authorized capital and organize its functioning at the first stage, 30 mln AZN was allocated from the reserve fund of the state budget of 2014.

Corresponding institutions got the instructions by the Cabinet of Ministers about the drawing up the routes and timetables of the buses and arranging the territory for the motor parking (garages) and 200 buses (large capacity).  Creating BakuBus LTD means that unified structure on management of the passenger buses is established in Baku, which will have a positive impact on the level of services in this sphere.

Successful parking

Talking about the public transportation problems, we should mention difficulties with the set timetable of buses that happen because of the traffic jams. Very often the drivers of passenger buses, who stop the vehicle at unauthorized places, stay at the bus stops for a long time going beyond the prescribed limits, are responsible for occurrence of such problems. Nevertheless, along with a general increase in the number of vehicles, car parking in unauthorized places causes the traffic jams in Baku. 

The situation has escalated up to a level that the President Ilham Aliyev commented on the illegal parking on the streets and avenues of Baku at the last meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers dedicated to the results of socio-economic development in the first quarter of 2014.

"New passenger buses that meet the highest standards will be brought to the city. Underground parking places are built in Baku. This also provides support to the solving of traffic jam problems. Ground parking spots should be established, as well. Like in developed cities, we will have parking machines on the streets, so that the citizens can park their cars easily. Transparency should be ensured in this sphere as well", said Ilham Aliyev.

"Baku is a nice, modern, developing city. Surely, in the cities of developed countries you will not see the controllers with batons in their hands dealing with parking. That does not suit us. No one knows where they work and pass the money gathered at "parking spots". I see that, because of the absence of ground parking places they help the drivers. That is why I think, we should be patient. But after establishing the parking machines we'll have to provide the citizens with batons in their hands with another job" said the President.

After I. Aliyev's comments, the head of the executive power of Baku Hajibala Abutalibov signed the orders on taking measures against illegal parking of the cars at the roadside streets and avenues of Baku, precisely on the elimination of illegal parking and the creation of temporary camps (parking spaces).

Despite the signed documents, many experts doubt that the problems will be solved completely - since there are not ground parking spots. According to the Intellectual Transport Management Center under the Ministry of Transportation of Azerbaijan, in 2012, 3,050 illegal parking spots were reported, while in 2013, the number of illegal parking has increased to 8 thousand spots. In comparison, there are more illegal parking spots on Uzeyir Gadjibekov Street, Bulbul Avenue and Zarifa Aliyeva Street. 

The solution of the problem seems to be creation of temporary parking spots until establishing the modern intellectual parking spaces. As a result of the studies, ITMC has already sent to the executive power of the city a proposal on the establishment of 288 temporary parking spots in the streets in 185 points of Baku, where approximately 6,422 cars will be able to be park.

Thus, as a result of realizing above-mentioned and the plans on renovating the bus parking spots of Baku, achieving a significant increase in the quality of public transportation services will be possible. 

Transformations that will be implemented in the transport sector of Baku will help to provide the citizens with comfort and safety improve the environmental situation and defuse tension on the streets and avenues of Baku.