Moscow Grid Locked With New Year Shoppers

Multi-kilometer traffic jams are an everyday experience for Moscow drivers, and with the current influx of New Year shoppers, much of the city is in gridlock.

Moscow authorities say public transport is the solution.

Shotlist
1.Various of traffic jams 00:00 - 02:40

2. SOUNDBITE: Nikolay Lyamov, deputy Moscow mayor (speaking Russian):

More than a million cars enters Moscow from the region every single day. And they are not only from Moscow region - they are coming from all over Russia.

Before the New Year holidays the amount of cars increases by no less than 30-40%. At this time there is a total collapse on the roads, so it's better to use public transport.

You know, Moscow stood still several days before New Year in 2006, 2008, 2010. I don't think year 2011 will be different. 02:40 - 03:24

Story
The city authorities have opened up 95 kilometers of bus lanes, and now plan to introduce contra-flow systems on seven highways - and build three million parking spaces in the city.

Deputy Mayor Nikolay Lyamov blames the worsening traffic on thousands of new cars hitting the Moscow roads annually.

And at this time of the year, the situation is exacerbated by people driving in from the regions to go New Year shopping.

"More than a million cars enters Moscow from the region every single day. And they are not only from Moscow region - they are coming from all over Russia", he said.

"Before the New Year holidays, the number of cars increases by no less than 30-40%. At this time there is a total collapse on the roads, so it's better to use public transport", Lyamov explained.




Footage courtesy of RT.com - Copyright RT.com 2011
Used with kind permission.

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Entertainment

Tags:

• traffic
• moscow
• russia