Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tasked the government with preparing a program for free travel on Kyiv’s urban ground transport. The assignment also includes ensuring a sufficient reserve of buses in the event of disruptions to metro services or problems with the bridges over the Dnipro.
According to Zelensky, the prime minister, the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, and the interior minister have presented options for backup transport schemes for the Ukrainian capital. The necessary number of vehicles is currently being determined, and the reorganization of traffic in parts of Kyiv is under discussion.
“It is important for the government to prepare specific measures to ensure uninterrupted and guaranteed accessible operation of the city’s ground transport in the event of disruptions to the metro or problems with the bridges over the Dnipro,” Zelensky said.He tasked the prime minister with presenting the free travel program and the plan for providing a bus reserve for Kyiv. No deadline has been set for their presentation so far, and free transport has not yet been introduced.
The Northern Bridge has been damaged
The decision was announced after the Northern Bridge was damaged during a Russian missile attack on Kyiv overnight on November 7. Traffic across the bridge was halted in both directions.
According to information from Ukrainska Pravda, the roadway, the trolleybus overhead contact network, and the bridge’s power line were damaged in the strike. According to Interfax-Ukraine, road and utility crews were working at the site.
The Ukrainian government is expected to clarify how the free transport program will operate, how many buses will be included in the reserve, and which routes they will serve in the event of further disruptions to Kyiv’s main transport links.
Sources: pravda.com.ua, interfax.com.ua