Transport economist Andrey Borisov has questioned the necessity of building metros in Russian cities, saying expanding surface transport is more cost-effective.
Speaking on radio station Govorit Moskva, Borisov, a leading expert at the Institute of Transport Economics at the Higher School of Economics, stated that subway construction is less profitable and efficient than developing ground transit networks. He noted that deciding whether a city needs a metro system is a nuanced issue with no single answer.
Borisov pointed out that if passenger volume were the only standard, half of European cities would not need underground railways either. He added that several cities with populations well under one million currently operate functioning metro systems.
Surface Transit Priorities
Given the high cost of subway construction within established urban development, Borisov said municipal authorities should focus on upgrading existing ground transit and expanding urban electric surface transport.
The discussion follows recent plans in Moscow to extend the Arbat-Pokrovskaya metro line into the Vostochny District in response to local resident requests.
