Estonian-born businessman reforms traffic in Moscow
08.10.2012, 13:40Maksim Liksutov who is born in Loksa and was recently appointed deputy Mayor of Moscow in charge of transport is proposing to reform the Moscow transport system by banning entry to the city centre for large trucks and forcing car drivers to switch to public transport, writes Eesti Päevaleht.
Among others, Liksutov proposes to increases parking fees in central Moscow to 1.3 euros starting from January 2013 with a 15-minute free slot.
Until now Liksutov has refused the demands of residents of central Moscow who wants drivers who do not live in city centre to pay for the entry.
Since 2013 there will also be a mobile-phone based parking payment system available for Muscovites, similar to the one in use in Estonia.
Another change is that the cost of towing away an illegally parked car will now be born by the car owner. Until now the towing and the first day in the impound were also free. From now on, Muscovites have to pay 170 euros for towing and a free for the parking operator.
There is a difference with Tallinn, however, and not in the number of cars stuck in traffic jams every day.
To ease cargo delivery problems, Liksutov proposed that instead by large trailer trucks they should be delivered by rail to distribution centres and then delivered by vans.
Liksutov knows railways well because he was only recently CEO of Transgroup that had a joint venture with Russian Railways.
Liksutov is no stranger to railways. He launched Auroekspress, a rapid transit railway line between Sheremetjevo airport and the Belarus railway station. It had also three subsidiary lines that connected the city of Moscow with Sheremetjevo, Domodedovo and Vnukovo.
In May Liksutov who is estimated to have personal assets of 380 million US dollars by Forbes sold to Russian Railways his stake in Transmashholding that manufactured rail cars for an undisclosed amount.
To promote the railway business, Liksutov plans to buy fifty new commuter trains for Moscow with 350 wagons and renovate the Moscow subway by buying 400 new wagons.
The contract is likely to go to a Russian wagon and train manufacturer although Liksutov says that also other leading manufacturers including Siemens, CAF and Bombardier are welcome to make a bid.