Cleaner air in Moscow

Moscow has a well-developed transport infrastructure — three hoist rings: Sadovoye ring, the Third hoist ring and Moscow Automobile Ring Road (MKAD). The Forth hoist ring is currently under construction and Central Automobile Ring Road (TzKAD) is scheduled for construction in Moscow region that will help redirect some of the transit traffic load on the MKAD. There are over 3 mln privately owned vehicles registered in the city, while the vehicle-to-population ratio exceeded 339 vehicles per 1000 people, which often results, taking into account vehicles from other regions, in stuck traffic in the city.

Large numbers of vehicles lead to air pollution with exhaust fumes. The Moscow Government is making attempts to solve this issue using an integrated approach. For example, in early June of 2010 the Moscow Government delegation headed by the Moscow City Transport and Communications Department Head, Vasily Kichedzhi, made a visit to France to learn about advanced environment-friendly car designs that might be operated in Moscow as taxis. By late 2010 some of the designs will be launched in lot production at Renault plants. The delegation members were most interested in a design with a liquefied petroleum gas engine. This vehicle can run for 1,300 km on a single tank of fuel, the environmental safety conforms to EURO-5 standard. The interior of the vehicle provides sufficient comfort for the driver and passengers. Electric vehicles in cargo and passenger configurations were also demonstrated to the delegation.

The electric version of Fluence sedan can be used as a Moscow taxi, the vehicle is currently undergoing all necessary certifications. The mass production of this car is scheduled to begin in mid—2011.

The ground public vehicles employed in Moscow include buses, trolley buses, trams and route taxis. The major operator of the municipal ground passenger transport, incorporating buses, trolley buses and trams, is SUE Mosgortrans. Mosgortrans provides 37.5% of the total municipal passenger turnover using public transport, conveys around 1.85 bn passengers per year and is one of the largest transport companies in the world. The Transport and Communications Department suggests that the operation of environment-friendly taxi be based on the said SUE Mosavtotrans and SUE Mosavtokholod. These enterprises have a vast experience in operating electric and LPG vehicles.

The Moscow City Transport and Communications Department is also looking at the possibility of prohibiting entrance of vehicles with engines under Euro-3 emission class within the third hoist ring of Moscow beginning with 2011 экологического класса ниже “Евро-3”, and beginning with 2012 — those with engines under Euro-4 emission class. Moscow authorities are looking at selling only Euro-4 class gasoline at the filling stations located within the city beginning with 2011, while transition to this type of gasoline throughout Russian is set not earlier than for 2012.

In order to make the air in the city cleaner and provide a solution for the transport issue it is planned to construct over 90 km of new tram tracks in Moscow in coming years. This is laid down in the draft decree “On Moscow tram traffic development strategy” which was considered in August 2010.

The document states the predominance of the tram transport development in high-density residential development areas of the city and the reconstruction of the operative tram tracks with implementation of activities aimed at rising the rate of tram traffic and enhancing the quality of passenger operations in Moscow. It is proposed to construct tram tracks first of all in the districts of Biryulyovo-Zapadnoye, Golyanovo and the settlement of Severny.

A “Branch plan for the development of car lines in Moscow” is expected to made up in the first half of 2011, which will provide an insight into the subsequent operation of the existing tram network of the city and the development of new tramlines to integrate the tram network of Moscow and construct boarding terminals at tram stops.

Design works on construction of new lines are proposed to be performed providing for engineering and technical solutions for intersections of tram lines with traffic arteries solely with the use of artificial structures like bridges, crossovers and tunnels. It is additionally planned to use low floor trams and to implement measures to reduce the noise level, apply recuperation.

There are plans to develop and put forward solutions providing for limitation of parking space for road vehicles in the streets where in addition to tram tracks there is only on lane for motor traffic. There are plans to construct boarding tram platforms with enclosure from the roadway in 42 streets in Moscow, and to set up a tram priority passage system at intersections of tram lines with motorways in 18 streets.