CIVIL Media on its Facebook page recently asked the question: How effective would the announced measures be in reducing public transport in terms of protection against KOVID-19?
With the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the need for prevention and protection has imposed many measures, including reduced public transport. This means reducing the number of buses and shortening the timetable. However, the consequences of this measure were crowded buses, without seats, with a large number of passengers who did not wear a protective mask, constant quarrels. And this, according to the testimonies of many citizens, is their first good morning to start the working day, but also a good rest of the day between 16:00 and 17:00 when most of them return from work.
Unfortunately, the question did not provoke a reaction on Facebook, but the problems remained the same. Here is what Melisa Muric’s Facebook status looks like:
“JSP, how long will we passengers endure the torture on your part?” Do we “ordinary mortals”, who ride the bus, have no rights, no dignity?
I was provoked by an event, three hours ago, on my way back from work, in which, like most “ordinary mortals”, I go and return from work by bus. Bus with timetable from Suto Orizari to Karpos, ie bus 19, although for a long time no attention has been paid to the timetable published on the official website of JSP, which according to the timetable should be every 15 minutes, we, passengers in normal conditions wait for 25-30 minutes. But what happened today crossed all the borders, despite the fact that we waited for the bus for half an hour to arrive, after arriving it just stopped to get off the passengers and continued its way, without waiting for the passengers to board for half an hour. they were waiting for it and they were in quite a number, and after all this a large number of passengers, including me, were waiting for the next bus that arrived after 45 minutes. Yes, yes, after 45 minutes.
Will there be responsibility for what happens, every day, and not only with 19, this also happens with other bus lines, in which in addition to being late with our daily responsibilities, there is a high chance that we can get infected due to the overall situation with the virus and the crowds, it is enough for one to be sick for all of us to become infected.
Will anyone bear the consequences of what is happening and does anyone even control the overall situation? How will you compensate us for the damages and the bad conditions that we suffer from you, and which we, the passengers, pay for the unpaid ticket with a fine of 1000 denars, and in reality you do not even deserve the 35 denars ticket.
I still hear there has been a proposal to reduce buses, I hope they do not know the meaning of the word reduction and thus intend to increase the number of buses.”
If new restrictive measures are introduced, the recommendation to JSP Skopje is not to further reduce the buses and reduce the number of lines, on the contrary, it should consider increasing the number of buses and lines which will reduce daily congestion, and at the same time will reduce waiting time at bus stops. In that way, the security will increase, but also the protection of the citizens from Kovid-19.
