Serious congestion is observed in the express buses moving in the Sumgait-Baku direction during the morning and evening hours. People stand in long queues to board the bus, which causes tension and dissatisfaction. As a result of the crowding, both noise and stress arise. What measures should be taken to eliminate this problem?
Transport issues expert Arshad Huseynov, who gave a statement to Medianews.az, touched upon the causes of congestion and queues on the Baku-Sumgait route and stated that there is a simple, but somewhat difficult to implement practically, solution to the problem.
According to the expert, most countries in the world, including Azerbaijan, have a tested and working mechanism regarding this issue:
“If congestion and queues arise, it means that demand is high. In other words, the number of vehicles providing the service does not meet the existing demand. In such cases, the solution is to increase the number of vehicles. Technically, it is a simple issue, but practically it entails additional costs and organizational problems. Apparently, the main difficulty is related to this.”
A. Huseynov added that comprehensive measures should be taken to improve passenger transportation in the Baku-Sumgait direction.
“For example, the schedule of Baku-Sumgait trains should be improved, and investments should be made to purchase new trains. Trains should operate with a denser schedule, that is, at shorter intervals to provide convenience for passengers,” the expert said.
He also noted that the route network should be expanded to allow passengers to depart not only from the bus station but also from various points in the city of Sumgait to different directions of Baku:
“If bus routes operate from several locations in the city to Baku, people will not be solely dependent on the bus station, which will reduce congestion. For this, new buses must be purchased and routes organized on those directions.”
According to the expert, the parallel development of both bus and rail transport is the most realistic and effective way to solve the Baku-Sumgait transportation problem.
Oguz Ayvaz,
Medianews.az
