The poor are prohibited from entering

The State Duma adopted a law that allows the introduction of paid zones in Moscow

The law affected not only the capital, but for some reason also the federal territory of Sirius, on the border of the Krasnodar Territory and Abkhazia.

These are not toll roads or paid parking places, these are entire zones through which there will be a charge. Moreover, absolutely everything here will be decided by the executive branch: it will draw the maps, it will establish the procedure and amount of payment.

The Law “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation” initially provided for the regulation of quite specific issues - the organization of road activities in wartime or during the introduction of martial law, in order to ensure security.

But then, as is usual lately, during the second reading amendments were introduced from a completely different area - which avoids discussion and sharply reduces the time for adoption. And they made, in particular, changes to the law “On the status of the capital of the Russian Federation”, adding article 22 “Features of the establishment and use of paid zones on the territory of the city of Moscow.”

This article states that “in connection with the implementation by the city of Moscow of the functions of the capital of the Russian Federation, in order to ensure and improve the comfort of living conditions for citizens, maintain and improve the sanitary condition of the territory of the city of Moscow,” paid zones are established in the capital.

At the same time, the decision to establish a toll zone, and the boundaries of the toll zone, and the timing of its establishment, and the methodology for calculating the toll for vehicles in toll zones, and the maximum amount of tolls, and the procedure for collecting tolls, and the procedure for granting the right to preferential travel - everything is established by the “supreme executive body of state power of the city of Moscow.” That is, the Moscow government. It will also determine the “paid zone operator”. Which will collect money and organize the infrastructure for payment.

Corresponding changes are being made to the Federal Law “On Highways and Road Activities in the Russian Federation and on Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation.”

What exactly will be the result of the introduction of paid zones will be “increasing the comfort of living conditions for citizens”, as well as “improving sanitary conditions”, is not specified.

Kirill Yankov, Chairman of the Russian Passengers Union and a recognized expert in the transport field, notes that toll zones, following toll roads and paid parking lots, can be in the arsenal of traffic regulation tools in the largest cities and resort areas. But their goal is precisely traffic regulation, and not additional budget revenues.

Meanwhile, he believes, the very mechanism of adoption through a last-minute amendment is reminiscent of a “special operation” regime, excluding from the discussion not only the expert community and the public, but in fact also deputies. And this, he believes, “suggests that the Moscow authorities will introduce paid zones themselves in the same “special operation” mode, especially since according to the law, only the executive power of the capital is authorized to do this: the participation of neither the City Duma nor district deputies is provided for.”

The introduction of new paid parking zones in Moscow, Yankov notes, requires discussion and voting by district deputies, which is correct: paid parking affects the interests of a wide range of Muscovites. But paid zones affect them even more - however, there is no public participation here: officials will decide everything themselves.

What is also important: the law adopted by the State Duma does not in any way establish the criteria by which future paid zones in the capital (as well as in Sirius) will be determined.

They can enter them wherever they want. There are no restrictions. We looked at the map and drew it. And you can collect money.

The institution “Administrator of the Moscow Parking Space” stated that this law can be used to regulate travel to Skolkovo and Moscow City, where the mechanism of paid zones is already in effect. But this does not follow from the law itself.

If we talk about purely “civil” problems, then (especially in large cities) there are few issues as pressing for citizens as the issues of paid parking and travel.

At one time, when paid parking was introduced, residents were told at length and beautifully that this was necessary to relieve congestion on the clogged streets and ensure the movement of public transport. And that this is an exceptional measure.

But as this system was put into effect, it became clearer and clearer that the main thing in it was a purely fiscal approach: to collect money.

As a result, in Moscow, for example, they are already trying to extend paid parking to courtyards (taking up almost all the streets with them). And there is no reason to believe that things will be any different with paid zones.

Vladimir Maksimov