The nine minibus lines canceled by the Chisinau City Hall could be restored, but with modified routes that wouldn't include the city center or important streets. This was announced by Mayor Dorin Chirtoaca at a press conference, IPN reports.
The official said that minibuses will have no more access to the city center and, as possible, won't circulate on avenues, which have high-capacity public transportation. Chirtoaca explained that only the lines that overlapped with bus and trolleybus routes have been canceled. Suburban lines have been shortened to the main transport nodes in the city.
“We don't rule out the opening of three minibus lines in the suburbs. Two bus lines, 19 and 26, will be opened. Minibus line 127 was closed and its route will be covered by bus line 26”, said the mayor.
According to Chirtoaca, minibus lines 103 and 115 should be replaced with bus lines, but this is delayed because a lack of transport units. He hopes the problem will be solved in three years. Overall, the bus fleet should be supplemented with 50 units.
Between today and August 25, line administrators, mass media and passengers can come up with suggestions and calls regarding the authorities' proposals and the latter will see if anything can be changed.
“We decided to leave minibuses only on secondary routes, linking the suburbs to the city, or crossing peripheral or hard-to-reach sectors. The routes can be negotiated. What cannot be negotiated is access to the city center and its main avenues. We are ready for the wave of criticism, but otherwise we can't assure the minimum of order on traffic and can't implement the Strategy for the re-organization of public transportation”, stressed Chirtoaca.
Minibuses will run from 6 AM to 11 PM.
