"With Kyiv's resilience plan the central government has sorted things out by blocking it for half a year, and now they've taken aim at public transport," - Klitschko

She has already “dealt with” the resilience plan, blocking it for half a year, now she has turned to public transport. This is how Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko commented on the president’s proposals regarding transport links in the capital.

“Regarding the new idea of the central government to improve Kyiv. I mean the “free” travel. The president instructed the prime minister to present such a program (and thus to find money for it?), and to find a reserve of buses. Let me start with the reserve. Kyiv has buses to add. There are no drivers! Perhaps, like electricians, the police will recruit them? And about the funds for “free” travel. Maybe the government will first repay Kyiv the subvention for free transportation for veterans (from 11 years ago)? And this is more than 8 billion hryvnias. In short, with the resilience plan, the central government has dealt with Kyiv, effectively blocking it for half a year. Now it has turned to public transport,” wrote Vitali Klitschko.

The Mayor of Kyiv noted that after the halt of electric transport, the number of bus routes has already increased to 129, and the number of buses to 418, with 685 drivers working. But to completely replace the metro, the city would need 1020 buses.

“Currently, Kyivpastrans has the ability to additionally increase the number of buses by another 25 units (technically serviceable and ready to go on routes). For this, it is necessary to engage at least 50 drivers of category D. In addition to them having to undergo on-route training, the enterprise, due to a defined limit, cannot book new drivers.”, the mayor said.

Klitschko also noted that to date Kyiv’s public transport already carries more than 1 million passengers for free, a privilege the state is supposed to provide.