UK engineer Mott MacDonald has been appointed to boost public transport in Kyrgyzstan’s second largest city, Osh (pictured), by setting up a $10.9m trolleybus network to replace poorly regulated minibuses.
The new network will be part-funded by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Mott MacDonald said the job entails rehabilitating infrastructure and setting up a formal ticketing system to offer affordable monthly passes and to allow customers to change routes without being charged extra.
A public service contract between the city’s public transport authority and the current operator, Osh Auto Transport Enterprise, will be drafted to define the quality and quantity of services expected.
Mott MacDonald described current transport provision in Osh as "poorly regulated", and will develop a performance improvement programme plus fleet and infrastructure maintenance and repair regimes.Â
OndÅ™ej KokeÅ¡, Mott MacDonald’s project director, said: "Osh is the second largest city in Kyrgyzstan and the major political, financial and cultural centre in the south of the country. This project is essential for public transport services to meet the demands of the city’s growing population."
The project is expected to complete in the beginning of 2016.
Announcing its intention to fund the project last year, the EBRD said it will improve the operator’s energy efficiency and could cut CO2 emissions by 3,400 tonnes per year.
The EBRD said the total project cost would be €9.6m ($10.9m), of which it will fund €5.7m
