Can buses replace the metro during a blackout in Kyiv

In Kyiv, preparations are being made for possible blackouts and the stopping of electric transport, including the metro. The city authorities are considering compensating for transport by using buses; however, experts point to serious limitations of such a scenario. According to Telegraf, this is what they write.

Transport planning expert Dmytro Bespalov explained that in the event of a complete shutdown of the metro, more than a million passengers will be forced to use buses and other ground transport. If trams and trolleybuses also stop operating, the passenger flow will increase by several hundred thousand people.

• on certain routes, the number of buses would have to be increased fivefold

• physically, such a number of vehicles is not available in the city

• intervals of movement of a few seconds cannot be ensured

• stops and routes are not adapted to a massive influx of passengers.

The expert emphasized that even in the presence of additional buses, there will be a problem of boarding and alighting due to the overloaded infrastructure.

Blackout in Kyiv: why surface transport cannot cope with the load

According to Bespalov, in the event of a metro shutdown, the passenger flow in surface transport will increase approximately twofold, but unevenly. Some routes may be critically overloaded.

He stressed that the key issue becomes demand management. Some trips will have to be limited or spread out in time to avoid peak loads.

Surface transport in the capital during outages

Commenting on the situation on the roads, the expert noted that a sharp increase in traffic is not expected, as most cars in Kyiv are already in motion. At the same time, there may be an increase in the number of passengers in private cars, as the average occupancy is about 1.5 people. Some residents of Kyiv may give rides to fellow travelers, which will slightly reduce the load on public transport.

Let us remind you that new trams and buses have arrived in Kyiv.