A debate has erupted in Kyiv regarding the future of the city's transport system. An electronic petition appeared on the official website of the Kyiv City State Administration (KCSA) with a proposal that could radically change the life of the capital's transport. The author of the initiative calls for reducing the rolling stock of municipal enterprises by at least 50%.
Arguments in favor of reduction
The initiative is promoted by Andriy Mashkov. In the text of the appeal, he refers to the difficult economic situation in the country and the need for strict budget savings under martial law. According to the applicant, the city cannot afford the "luxury" of maintaining a large fleet of buses, trolleybuses, and trams if fuel prices continue to rise.
"Objective reality shows that fuel will continue to get more expensive," writes the author of the petition. He is convinced that halving the number of vehicles on the lines will be the only way to optimize expenses in current realities.
Chances of implementation and consequences
At the moment, the initiative has received only one vote. For the petition to be considered by the Kyiv City Council, it is necessary to collect 6,000 signatures. The residents of the capital have 59 days left to express their opinion — to support or reject the proposal.
If the petition reaches the required threshold, the relevant departments of the city administration will be obliged to work out the issue and provide an official response. However, experts and observers warn of possible negative consequences of such a step. Reducing the fleet will inevitably lead to increased intervals of movement and overcrowding of transport, which will significantly reduce the mobility of the capital's residents.
Context: tariffs and comfort
This initiative fits into the general trend of tightening conditions for using public transport. Recently, Kyiv residents faced a price increase: from July 15, the tariff for municipal transport rose to 30 hryvnias for a single trip. In addition, the "Association of Carriers of Kyiv and Kyiv Region" announced a price increase for marshrutkas (minibuses) to 25 hryvnias.
At the same time, parallel to saving money, residents are demanding increased comfort. Recently, another petition was registered in which citizens ask the authorities to turn on air conditioners in public transport when the air temperature is +22°C and above. Despite the fact that many routes are equipped with cooling systems, in practice they often remain turned off.
