Resolution of transport problems is through the improvement of urban culture

Today's  press conference by  the  NGO "Ecolecs" with the participation of a representative of the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture (CUPA) was devoted to the  solution of transport problems of Baku in the context of Greater Baku regional development.

Special attention was paid to improving transport and urban culture, without which  the solution of transport problems will be impossible. 

Expert of  colocs, Samir Isayev,  said that  consultation began  at the initiative of the organization,  to form the policy aimed at  sustainable transport system. This dialogue involves not only the scientific and public organizations, but also representatives of government agencies (Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, health, transport), organization of urban planners. Ecolecs conducted research on the problems of road transport infrastructure, as a result of  which  many  shortcomings were revealed. Among them: the presence of parallel subway lines and overlapping bus routes, the low volume of cars parking places, a low level of culture of using public transport. The city has no special lines for cyclists, and electric vehicles were completely eliminated. Approximately 70% of light vehicles  have been concentrated in Baku, what has caused 70% of the emissions of exhaust gases, Isayev said.

Head of International Relations and Public Affairs of CUPA, Jahangir  Gojayev, noted that  under the concept of development of the capital,  for the environmental "unloading" of Baku, enterprises (for example, oil refineries) will be relocated to a remote Garadagh district. The government is aware that this will cause some traffic problems for the employees of these companies,  and is working  on the resolution of this  problem, including  expansion of roads, construction of underground car parks, restricting the entry  of cars to the city, the creation of  car parking  at the entrances to  Baku.  The government intends to build a new airport in the  settlement of Alat, which, according to Gojayeva, will improve the noise environment in Baku.

At the same time, the representative  of CUPA criticized the Ministry of Transport, which had built in the northern entrance to the city  a huge  bus station complex without proper feasibility study. "After the metro station "Autovokzal" is put into operation, the  transport  problems will soften, but also  aggravate  because a number of factors  were not taken into account while planning (proximity to the motorway, the presence of only one  entrance and exit, etc.) 08B