Letter: Transport Problems? Perhaps We Can Learn From Russia

Published on: 30 Dec, 2021
Updated on: 30 Dec, 2021

From: Jane Hepburn

In response to: Let’s Use Our Wealth of Brainpower to Fix Our Transport Problem

We lived in the former Soviet Union for several years. They have fleets of minibuses called Mashrutka that ply circular routes around the towns and out into the suburbs. They pick up and drop off on demand and charge a flat rate. It is the best system of public transport I have ever seen anywhere around the world.

Now that we have the possibility of cheaper electric vehicles, why do we still persevere with the old clunky system of huge buses that all converge on Guildford necessitating, should you need to make an onward journey, a change of bus with attendant expense? A family of four wanting a round trip from Stoughton to Merrow, for example, would need to spend around £32 on tickets.

I suggest a complete rethink of travel options of vehicles and routing. Look around the world for ideas. There are plenty of low-income countries that have really got it right.

Responses to Letter: Transport Problems? Perhaps We Can Learn From Russia

Jim Allen Reply

December 30, 2021 at 12:07 pm

Excellent, now people are thinking in the real world with real-world solutions. A similar transport system is on the Caribbean island of St Lucia and possibly others.
Daniel Hill Reply

December 31, 2021 at 12:53 am

We don’t need to look around world for better public transport solutions. When I lived in Brighton most people used the bus to travel around the city. It’s was cheaper and easier than parking a car. There is no reason we can’t do the same in Guilford.
RWL Davies Reply

January 1, 2022 at 8:22 am

Very sensible and probably inevitable in the long term; equivalent systems exist in some parts of the UK.