The MP from the Opposition Bloc, Serhiy Lovochkin, requires the government to immediately take systemic measures aimed at resolving the problems of the transport industry and reducing the volume of freight and passenger traffic. He wrote about this in a deputy inquiry directed to Prime Minister Volodymyr Groisman.

“I require the government to immediately take systemic measures aimed at solving the problems of the transport industry and the decline in the volumes of freight and passenger transportation. On the results of measures taken, please inform me in the statutory period,” Serhiy Lovochkin wrote.

The MP stressed that during the first four months of 2018, a significant drop in the indicators in the transport sector was recorded. In particular, in January-April 2018, compared to the same period last year, freight turnover decreased by 2.8%, cargo transportation – by 2.6%, and the number of passengers transported – by 1.9%.

According to him, especially alarming is the reduction in the indicators for rail transport, which provides the bulk of cargo transportation in the country. “Cargo turnover in this segment decreased by 1.7%, and cargo transportation volumes – by 4.1%. In domestic traffic and for export, it was sent 87 million tons of cargo less than in the same period last year. Transportation of coal has reduced by 15.6%, which has become one of the results of the transport blockade of the Donbass,” the politician noted.

Serhiy Lovochkin added that the fall also affected the pipeline segment, the turnover of which decreased by more than 8.2%, and the volume of cargo transportation – by 4.4%. At the same time, pumping and transit of oil decreased by 6.1% and 9.3%, and natural gas – by 5% and 9.3%, respectively.

“The scale of these negative trends in the short term may significantly increase due to the end of the “gas contract” with the Russian Federation, which, meanwhile actively promotes gas pipeline projects bypassing Ukraine. In addition, it is necessary to take into account the considerable degree of deterioration of the main gas and the oil pipeline infrastructure, which Ukraine inherited,” the oppositionist wrote.

The politician noted that water transport showed the deepest decline, the cargo turnover of which decreased by more than 30% in comparison with January-April of the previous year, and cargo transportation volumes – by almost 19%.

In addition to cargo transportation, the number of passengers transported decreased by 1.9%. This is especially noticeable on the railway, where for the first four months of 2018, it was transported almost 7% less passengers compared to the same period last year.

“This was the result of repeated increase of “Ukrzaliznytsia” ticket prices on the background of consistently poor quality carriers’ services, as well as the decline in living standards of citizens, whose overwhelming part of the income goes to food and payment of utility tariffs,” the MP concluded.