Switching to upgraded public transportation system in Yerevan may take from three months to a year, expert says
24.12.2018,
15:41
Switching to an upgraded public transportation system in Armenia’s capital city of Yerevan may take from three months to a year, but not several years, Babken Pipoyan, the head of a non-governmental organization, called Informed and Protected Consumer, said at a press conference on Monday.

YEREVAN, December 24, /ARKA/. Switching to an upgraded public transportation system in Armenia’s capital city of Yerevan may take from three months to a year, but not several years, Babken Pipoyan, the head of a non-governmental organization, called Informed and Protected Consumer, said at a press conference on Monday.
Earlier, Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutyan said that in February 2019 the city administration will review what has been done so far to modernize the public transportation system and only after a positive conclusion of an international consulting company WYG International Limited will get down to the system’s major reformation that may take from 2 to 4 years.
"If the city administration starts the process of transition to the new public transportation system now, at least in three months, and at most in a year we will have a new transportation system," said Pipoyan. He recalled that the former city authorities had already concluded an $850,000 agreement with the consulting company in 2014, and in August 2017 the company had already submitted its conclusion.
"The start of the transition to the new transportation system had been planned for the end of 2018, but after the revolution, plans changed. Nevertheless, the amount of $600,000 was paid to the consulting company, and the new authorities are obliged now to pay the remaining $250,000," he said.
According to Pipoyan, conducting a re-study of is meaningless, since no self-respecting company will give another conclusion on the same issue. "The mayor may either attract a new consulting company, or terminate the existing contract and demand back $600,000," said Pipoyan. He noted that the new authorities only need to regulate the fare collection system, and also make a final decision on vehicles servicing the routes.
"It is necessary to make sure that Yerevan residents do not overpay for travel in the event of a change. In addition, when introducing new routes, it is necessary to take into account the traffic capacity of streets and the size of vehicles," he said.
In 2014, the Yerevan City Hall invited the WYG International Limited to study the city’s transportation system and develop a project for its modernization. The initial draft of the reform, submitted in September 2017, called for halving the number of minibuses. According to preliminary calculations, its implementation required approximately $100 million. In addition, it was planned to leave the current fare for transportation unchanged. -0-
Earlier, Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutyan said that in February 2019 the city administration will review what has been done so far to modernize the public transportation system and only after a positive conclusion of an international consulting company WYG International Limited will get down to the system’s major reformation that may take from 2 to 4 years.
"If the city administration starts the process of transition to the new public transportation system now, at least in three months, and at most in a year we will have a new transportation system," said Pipoyan. He recalled that the former city authorities had already concluded an $850,000 agreement with the consulting company in 2014, and in August 2017 the company had already submitted its conclusion.
"The start of the transition to the new transportation system had been planned for the end of 2018, but after the revolution, plans changed. Nevertheless, the amount of $600,000 was paid to the consulting company, and the new authorities are obliged now to pay the remaining $250,000," he said.
According to Pipoyan, conducting a re-study of is meaningless, since no self-respecting company will give another conclusion on the same issue. "The mayor may either attract a new consulting company, or terminate the existing contract and demand back $600,000," said Pipoyan. He noted that the new authorities only need to regulate the fare collection system, and also make a final decision on vehicles servicing the routes.
"It is necessary to make sure that Yerevan residents do not overpay for travel in the event of a change. In addition, when introducing new routes, it is necessary to take into account the traffic capacity of streets and the size of vehicles," he said.
In 2014, the Yerevan City Hall invited the WYG International Limited to study the city’s transportation system and develop a project for its modernization. The initial draft of the reform, submitted in September 2017, called for halving the number of minibuses. According to preliminary calculations, its implementation required approximately $100 million. In addition, it was planned to leave the current fare for transportation unchanged. -0-