Bishkek Proposes Curbs on Private Car Use

Bishkek authorities are proposing a shift in the capital’s transport policy by prioritizing public transport and gradually reducing reliance on private cars. A draft presidential decree prepared by the Bishkek mayor’s office has been released for public consultation. The proposal calls for a long-term transport development program, the creation of an interagency coordination headquarters, upgrades to road infrastructure, new traffic management schemes, and continued investment in the city’s municipal public transport network. Its stated objective is to reduce chronic traffic congestion and improve air quality in the capital. According to the explanatory note accompanying the draft, Bishkek’s road network is no longer capable of handling current traffic volumes. When the city was originally planned, its streets were designed to accommodate around 50,000 vehicles. Today, more than 400,000 vehicles are registered in Bishkek alone, with thousands more entering the city each day from surrounding districts and neighboring regions. Opportunities to expand the road network remain limited. The city has substantially modernized its public transport fleet in recent years. Since 2022, Bishkek has purchased new buses and electric buses. Around 1,300 municipal buses and electric buses now operate on city routes each day, carrying approximately 800,000 passengers. Despite these improvements, more than 500,000 residents continue to rely on private cars. The authors of the draft argue that the current use of road space remains inefficient. A single bus can carry up to 50 passengers while occupying only slightly more road space than several private cars, which generally carry between one and four people. The draft decree does not introduce immediate restrictions on motorists. Instead, it establishes a legal framework for future measures aimed at reducing private vehicle use in the city’s most congested areas. Under the proposal, the mayor-led headquarters could launch pilot traffic restrictions, paid parking schemes, and priority lanes for public transport. Its decisions would be binding on state and municipal bodies. The proposed reforms follow last year’s controversy over Bishkek’s decision to phase out its trolleybus system. After dismantling the overhead power lines, the authorities planned to convert the remaining trolleybus fleet into electric buses. However, the conversion tender failed twice after attracting no bids, forcing the municipality to consider alternative approaches. The decision to abandon the trolleybus network drew criticism from environmental organizations and some transport experts. City officials had also previously considered restricting traffic based on odd and even vehicle registration numbers but abandoned the proposal following public criticism. Reducing traffic is also viewed as an important tool for tackling air pollution. According to official estimates, between 600,000 and 700,000 vehicles operate in Bishkek each day, including those entering the city from elsewhere, while more than half of the vehicle fleet is over 15 years old. Road transport accounts for around 30% of air pollution in the capital. The Times of Central Asia previously reported that Bishkek’s air pollution had once again become the subject of parliamentary debate, with lawmakers attributing the worsening environmental situation primarily to the rapid growth in vehicle numbers, an aging vehicle fleet,...

Kazakhstan Senator Proposes Restoring State Oversight of Driving Schools

Gennady Shipovskikh, a member of Kazakhstan’s Senate, has proposed restoring state oversight of driving schools, linking the initiative to a sharp increase in traffic accidents across the country. According to figures cited by the senator, the number of road accidents has nearly doubled over the past three years. In 2023, approximately 15,800 accidents were recorded in Kazakhstan. This figure rose to about 31,500 in 2024 and exceeded 36,000 in 2025. In total, more than 100,000 people were reported injured during this period. Shipovskikh attributes the worsening situation partly to reduced state supervision of driver training standards. At present, most driving schools in Kazakhstan are privately operated: of 727 institutions nationwide, 567 are privately owned, while 160 are state-run. He noted that regulatory changes in recent years have significantly altered the sector. In 2016, the licensing system for driving schools was replaced with a notification-based procedure, and in 2018, direct state oversight was abolished. He said these reforms have contributed to declining training standards and growing public distrust in the quality of instruction. As a possible solution, Shipovskikh has proposed reinstating an accreditation mechanism for driving schools. Under such a system, institutions whose graduates are repeatedly involved in traffic accidents could face the suspension or revocation of their operating permits. He also called for tighter monitoring of compliance with training requirements, particularly in the private sector, as well as the creation of a unified national driver training framework. He also highlighted the need to establish a centralized analytical platform to enable more detailed study of accident causes and to support the development of preventive policies. “We must not forget that behind every traffic accident lies a tragedy for families and society,” he said in remarks addressed to Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov. Alongside reforms in driver education, Shipovskikh proposed introducing modern traffic-management tools. Among these measures is the use of so-called “waffle markings” at congested intersections. These road markings prohibit vehicles from entering an intersection if traffic conditions prevent them from clearing it, thereby helping to reduce congestion and the risk of collisions. Such practices are already widely used in major cities worldwide and have proven effective in improving road safety. The Times of Central Asia previously reported that Senator Zhanna Asanova had proposed allowing private laboratories to conduct medical examinations of drivers for intoxication as part of wider discussions on road safety policy.