Mayor of Sofia Admits Errors in Dealing with Visitors Adjustments – Requires Constructive Dialogue

For the primary time after 3 weeks of protests by those that reside across the NDK, the mayor of Sofia Vasil Terziev discuss errors made. In keeping with him, the town made a mistake by not explaining the modifications to the individuals prematurely.

As well as, a preliminary evaluation of the influence on the site visitors on the boulevards “Patriarch Euthymius”, “Vitosha” and “Fritjof Nansen” was not carried out, it’s clear from the phrases of Mayor Terziev.

Due to this fact, within the subsequent three months, the influence of the modified site visitors will likely be analyzed, wherein bike lanes and bus lanes have been constructed, lanes for vehicles have been decreased and parking areas have been decreased.

“I take into account the shortage of even stronger preliminary communication as a weak point of the undertaking for site visitors modifications alongside “Patriarch Evtimii” Blvd. and “Vitosha” Blvd. I made a decision to create a fee working group to think about it. ” Mayor Terziev introduced this on his Fb profile.

“The dialog about Sofia ought to be skilled and civil within the first place, earlier than it turns into political. Not due to inconvenience, however due to the distraction from what is absolutely essential – how you can flip Sofia right into a city- a full-fledged European and eventually begin to develop.

After many discussions with the residents of Sofia, to whom I thank them for his or her suggestions in regards to the modifications in site visitors on “Patriarch Evtimiy” Blvd and “Vitosha” Blvd., I made a decision to create a working group that fee to think about the undertaking. Everybody ought to take part in it, in order that we’ve the entire image of its advantages. If issues are reported, search an answer to enhance them. The dialogue ought to be based mostly on each the ideas we obtain and the information we’re at present gathering.

I take into account the shortage of prior communication to be even stronger than a weak point within the undertaking. Though it has been mentioned for years, though it has been voted on in a number of paperwork, we owe it to readability and communication with the residents.

The purpose of those initiatives is to modernize the town – quicker public transport, handy bicycle transport, cleaner air. Such initiatives are very complicated as a result of the pursuits of many events must be balanced – the residents of the neighborhood, the residents who need cleaner air, the individuals who journey by automobile within the morning and run to work , public transport passengers, pedestrians. … Virtually everybody has an opinion.

I thank the residents who took the time to share the issues of the change and people who made constructive criticism.

From the start of the undertaking, I set 4 priorities as a situation for its realization:

– building of bicycle lanes to enhance Sofia’s bicycle community and supply the town with various technique of transportation;

– city transport to run in keeping with timetable and to enhance the service to residents;

– the undertaking ought to be carried out with minimal lack of parking areas till different choices are constructed;

– the undertaking mustn’t have a damaging influence on the site visitors within the centre.

I invite teams and specialists to affix the constructive dialogue. We can even announce the day and placement earlier than the top of the week.

To this point we’ve proven one factor – we work to unravel complicated and legacy issues in a constructive manner. We’ll proceed like this sooner or later,” wrote Terziev.

We remind you that the modifications within the group of site visitors on the three metropolitan boulevards – “Patriarch Evtimiy”, “Vitosha” boulevard and “Fritjof Nansen” trigger nice dissatisfaction among the many residents of the capital Congestion in Sofia middle.

Sofia Municipality indicated that it was accredited by a consultant of the SDVR. Nonetheless, Sofians organized a number of protests in opposition to the amended transfer.

“24 Chasa” carried out a journalistic check relating to whether or not the brand new group of site visitors within the middle of the capital is significantly disturbing his establishment.

Earlier than midday, the route from “Popa” went on “Patriarch Euthymius” to “Fritjof Nansen”, from there to “Bulgaria” Blvd., going up previous the administration constructing of the Nationwide Palace of Tradition and its ‘ together with the renovated and slender part of “. Vitosha” within the path of the intersection with “Patriarch Euthymia” “to cross in 9 min.

Later that day, at 5:30 p.m., the identical route takes one hour and eight minutes.