Rising public transport prices have sparked discontent among Anapa residents.
Anapa authorities stated that they have no control over public transportation fares. Local residents, commenting on Telegram about this announcement, noted that fares on certain routes had increased by 20 percent. They also criticized the quality of passenger transportation.
Anapa Mayor Svetlana Maslova said she receives many comments online raising the issue of fare increases on public transportation. Maslova stated that fare increases are the responsibility of carriers, who are advised to consider the social significance of the service and residents' solvency when setting fares.
"In accordance with Federal Law No. 220-FZ of July 13, 2015, transportation is provided at unregulated rates. This means that fares are set independently by carriers," the mayor of Anapa wrote today on her Telegram channel.
She added that the Traffic Management Center is responsible for organizing passenger transportation in Anapa.
Starting June 10, fares on a number of routes in Anapa increased. The fare on city routes is now 50 rubles. Baggage fees are 50% of the per-passenger ticket price. The fare from Anapa to Dzhiginka is 180 rubles, to Dzhiginka (highway) – 170 rubles, to Utasha – 130 rubles, and to Vinogradny – 110 rubles, according to Bloknot Anapa on June 10.
A post about fares on Anapa Mayor Svetlana Maslova's Telegram channel, which has over 13,700 subscribers, had garnered 37 likes and 67 comments as of 1:40 p.m. Moscow time.
Some of the comments criticized the mayor. "An excellent response that makes it clear you don't care about people. Don't expect any improvements. It will be as the minibus drivers want it. Rudeness, worn-out buses, prices, and the lack of a schedule—you, as the city administration, are completely satisfied with this," wrote user BS.
"But what about Article 14 of Federal Law 220-FZ, which stipulates that municipalities establish municipal routes at regulated rates? Do private carriers operate routes outside the approved traffic plan?" asked Oleg Kozhevnikov.
Other users pointed out the poor quality of passenger transportation. "It's a shame about Anapa, of course. It's like a village. A disgrace, not the lack of transport accessibility. A resort with rusty buckets and rude drivers. Management! Look at Gelendzhik and Sochi. Get new buses with air conditioning, and people will be grateful," noted a user with the nickname Well, that's it.
"Today I rode bus #9 from the city center. It was dirty, the ceiling was dirty and torn, the seat covers were greasy. I wish the administration would take a bus like that around the city, and pay for it," emphasized Yuri.
Another group of commenters pointed out the need for regulatory and oversight bodies to intervene. "We need to write en masse to the Federal Antimonopoly Service and the prosecutor's office, let them sort this out. A second 30% increase is a complete mess," wrote Natali.
"If you're allowing private transport and they're setting fares, at least stipulate that all buses must have a certain number of seats and be equipped with air conditioning. And there should be fines for schedule violations," wrote user Aldel.
Some commenters complained about the excessive fare hike. "The fare from Anapa to Usatova Balka has gone up by 20 rubles. Now it's 80 rubles. It's cheaper to Gaikodzor, even though it's further away. And there's no one to complain to," emphasized Ekaterina ST.
"Until February 1, 2025, the fare from Selena to Aquamarine in Vityazevo was 50 rubles. They raised the price to 60 rubles—an immediate 20%. Now they've raised it again. Is this even normal?" – wrote Gennady.
"For three years I've been trying to persuade the municipal representative body to subsidize public transportation for those in need. They haven't even promised to think about it, weigh it, or consider the options," noted Viktor Alekseevich.
We've updated the apps on Android and IOS! We would be grateful for criticism and ideas for development both in Google Play/App Store and on KU pages in social networks. Without installing a VPN, you can read us on Telegram (in Dagestan, Chechnya and Ingushetia - with VPN). Using a VPN, you can continue reading "Caucasian Knot" on the website as usual, and on social networks: Facebook*, Instagram*, "VKontakte", "Odnoklassniki" and X. You can watch the "Caucasian Knot" video on YouTube. Send messages to +49 157 72317856 on WhatsApp*, to the same number on Telegram, or write to @Caucasian_Knot.
* Meta (owner of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) is banned in Russia.