Ch.Bat: "If public transportation becomes reliable, people will stop driving cars"
May 16 (UB Post) Parliament is currently discussing a project to build a special bus lane to prevent traffic.
The General Manager of Ulaanbaatar, Ch.Bat, has answered some questions regarding this matter.
-There are talks of building a special bus lane. When will this project start?
-The population of Ulaanbaatar has exceeded 1.2 million, which means half the entire population of Mongolia resides and works in the capital. The traffic in the city has reached its peak and its load is at an unmanageable. Fast and efficient public transportation is in high demand. A general plan to develop Ulaanbaatar until 2030 is being formulated and the issue of public transportation has been given a separate working group to come up with new routes and methods. Many solutions such as building metros, special bus lanes and light trains have been proposed. We are looking for the most effective solution in a short amount of time. This is why the special bus lane was chosen. Many nations have implemented this effectively to reduce traffic. The construction of the lane will start within this year. It is estimated to go from 2012-2017.
-How much reduction of traffic can we expect from this?
-The central two lanes will be freed and only buses will be allowed to use it. Of course emergency vehicles such as ambulance, fire fighter trucks and police cars will be permitted use it. Since there aren't any other vehicles on the lanes, buses will move freely without traffic. Studies show that by building bus lanes, speed of public transportations will increase 40%. The likelihood of buses reaching their stops on time will increase. If public transportation becomes more reliable, people would not always want to drive cars. Buses with diesel engines will not be used because of air pollution. The buses that use the special lane will be powered by electricity like a trolleybuses, but with batteries that allow them to drive without cables. We are talking about having a bus that has a capacity of twice or three times the current buses.
-Have routes been determined? Which bus lanes will use which roads?
-Several routes have been considered, such as from the north of the city or Doloon buudal to Nisekh or from the west side of the city to east and vice versa. These routes total up to 65km of track. Bridges will be built over intercepting roads such as the West and East Durvun zam, Sapporo and Bayanburd cross-road.
-There are talks of building a special bus lane. When will this project start?
-The population of Ulaanbaatar has exceeded 1.2 million, which means half the entire population of Mongolia resides and works in the capital. The traffic in the city has reached its peak and its load is at an unmanageable. Fast and efficient public transportation is in high demand. A general plan to develop Ulaanbaatar until 2030 is being formulated and the issue of public transportation has been given a separate working group to come up with new routes and methods. Many solutions such as building metros, special bus lanes and light trains have been proposed. We are looking for the most effective solution in a short amount of time. This is why the special bus lane was chosen. Many nations have implemented this effectively to reduce traffic. The construction of the lane will start within this year. It is estimated to go from 2012-2017.
-How much reduction of traffic can we expect from this?
-The central two lanes will be freed and only buses will be allowed to use it. Of course emergency vehicles such as ambulance, fire fighter trucks and police cars will be permitted use it. Since there aren't any other vehicles on the lanes, buses will move freely without traffic. Studies show that by building bus lanes, speed of public transportations will increase 40%. The likelihood of buses reaching their stops on time will increase. If public transportation becomes more reliable, people would not always want to drive cars. Buses with diesel engines will not be used because of air pollution. The buses that use the special lane will be powered by electricity like a trolleybuses, but with batteries that allow them to drive without cables. We are talking about having a bus that has a capacity of twice or three times the current buses.
-Have routes been determined? Which bus lanes will use which roads?
-Several routes have been considered, such as from the north of the city or Doloon buudal to Nisekh or from the west side of the city to east and vice versa. These routes total up to 65km of track. Bridges will be built over intercepting roads such as the West and East Durvun zam, Sapporo and Bayanburd cross-road.
This will decrease traffic on traffic lights and cross-roads.
-What countries have used special bus lanes to reduce their traffic?
-Many countries such as Colombia, Thailand and South Korea have used this method to reduce traffic. They have much denser populations than ours but have used this method effectively to reduce road traffic. Many think that if the two central lanes are reserved the rest of the cars will be cramped up in the other lanes and this would increase the traffic. In other words, it's putting aside individuals using the road to make way for the many who use public transportation. When public transportation becomes reliable and fast, individuals will not want to waste time in traffic jams and waste money on fuel. Gradually the change to public transportation will take place. When people switch to public transportation, car lane traffic also decreases.
-What countries have used special bus lanes to reduce their traffic?
-Many countries such as Colombia, Thailand and South Korea have used this method to reduce traffic. They have much denser populations than ours but have used this method effectively to reduce road traffic. Many think that if the two central lanes are reserved the rest of the cars will be cramped up in the other lanes and this would increase the traffic. In other words, it's putting aside individuals using the road to make way for the many who use public transportation. When public transportation becomes reliable and fast, individuals will not want to waste time in traffic jams and waste money on fuel. Gradually the change to public transportation will take place. When people switch to public transportation, car lane traffic also decreases.
By working for the interest of the public in general we can come to the right decisions.
-Does this mean the roads we have now will be used?
-The 65km of special bus lanes will be used from the wider roads we have now. Since it uses electricity, electric wires will be built, and tunnels that lead to the middle of the road where the bus stops will be built.
-Does this mean the roads we have now will be used?
-The 65km of special bus lanes will be used from the wider roads we have now. Since it uses electricity, electric wires will be built, and tunnels that lead to the middle of the road where the bus stops will be built.
The city with the best metro system is Moscow but even they switched to special bus lanes recently to reduce their traffic.
-Where will the buses be bought from? Do you think the new trolleybus industry Tsahilgaan Teever will be used to solve this issue?
-We will not import buses just yet. Where we buy the buses will be determined at the appropriate time. The Tsahilgaan Teever assembly industry has been expanded and opened today (yesterday). The Tsahilgaan Teever industry has produced trolleybuses and duo-busses in Ulaanbaatar since 2007. The industry has experience and potential. We don't have to import buses at high prices but buy the parts and assemble them here in Mongolia which will cost much less, they are talking about this with the Asian Developmental Bank.
-The residents are criticising that trolleybuses cause traffic and it's an old way of transportation. How suitable is this method in a developing city?
-Trolleybuses are used in many large cities of the world. The time has not yet come to say that trolleybuses are no longer required. We will not expand the current trolleybus routes but we will use them for a while. After all it's the cheapest way of travelling. Today the cost for one person to travel in a diesel engine bus is 500-600 MNT but they pay 400 MNT and the rest is paid by the state. Electric transportation costs half as much as diesel engine transportations, therefore trolleybuses are extremely beneficial for the public.
-Where will the buses be bought from? Do you think the new trolleybus industry Tsahilgaan Teever will be used to solve this issue?
-We will not import buses just yet. Where we buy the buses will be determined at the appropriate time. The Tsahilgaan Teever assembly industry has been expanded and opened today (yesterday). The Tsahilgaan Teever industry has produced trolleybuses and duo-busses in Ulaanbaatar since 2007. The industry has experience and potential. We don't have to import buses at high prices but buy the parts and assemble them here in Mongolia which will cost much less, they are talking about this with the Asian Developmental Bank.
-The residents are criticising that trolleybuses cause traffic and it's an old way of transportation. How suitable is this method in a developing city?
-Trolleybuses are used in many large cities of the world. The time has not yet come to say that trolleybuses are no longer required. We will not expand the current trolleybus routes but we will use them for a while. After all it's the cheapest way of travelling. Today the cost for one person to travel in a diesel engine bus is 500-600 MNT but they pay 400 MNT and the rest is paid by the state. Electric transportation costs half as much as diesel engine transportations, therefore trolleybuses are extremely beneficial for the public.
Moreover, they don't pollute the city by emitting CO2 so its environmentally friendly. Trolleybuses will stay for a while.
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