Before the suspension of yellow corridor as of this Monday and the possible interruption of the service of the purple runner As of May 1, experts point out that it would increase the casual transport and that it would be very far from having a real integrated transport system (SIT) in Lima and Callao.
In that sense, Karsten Kunckel, President of the Automotive Association of Peru (AAP)showed his concern about the situation of urban transport in Lima and Callao and the little will of the Government to give an immediate solution to the problem of the transport corridors.
“The formal offer of mass transportation services urban in Lima and Callao on buses, which must circulate through corridors identified with colors such as blue, yellow, red, purple and green, is reaching the most complicated point of the crisis that they have been going through since its inception, and which will probably lead to the bankruptcy of companies and to the total withdrawal of the buses on the roads”, warned the representative of the automotive union.
Likewise, Karsten Kunckel pointed out that, in September 2022, the automotive union and the concessionaires of formal urban transport servicesheld an emergency meeting with the then Vice Minister of Economy and the current Minister of Economy and Finance, Alex Contreras, requesting urgent support for the formal sector of urban transport to, among other things, recover the financial economic balance of its concession contracts.
“It is well known that there is no way to implement a integrated system living with informal serviceswith the problems in demand generated by the covid-19 (one million fewer passengers transported), the increase in the price of fuel, the increase in the cost of financial services, among others,” said the representative of the automotive union after indicating that ” all this has led to the formal companies are collapsed and to verge of bankruptcy”.
This situation and its serious consequences were known to the Minister of Economy, he said, since in September 2022 this portfolio commissioned the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) give you a solution with the resources not used in the year 2022.
“This shows that the MEF was aware of the crisis and would support alternative solutions that had a sense of urgency obvious and unavoidable. However, eight months later, there is no solution or signs of any real alternative to deal with this problem, and the main officials of the TCMwithout any explanation, they refuse to show their faces before this union and before the main actors and victims of this crisis, “said the executive.
For his part, he President of the NGO Luz Ámbar, Luis Quispe Candiawarned that, with the suspension of these two lines, which are part of the Integrated Transport System (SIT), the groups take advantage of this gap to provide informal service.
Given this, the expert on road issues recommended that the Urban Transport Authority for Lima and Callao (ATU) and the TCM reconsider the collection formula so that these companies (Yellow and Purple Corridor) improve their income.
“Their condition and their contract do not allow them to improve the profitability of their company. What they are demanding is that their contract be perfected so that they can have higher profitability”, declared the specialist to Channel N.
Also, Quispe Candia asked that these bus broker companies be supported so that they have the sufficient profitability to improve its services, and that, given the lack of buses, the number of units is increased, which for now barely reaches 800 when 5,000 are required.
“It is important to increase the fleet to improve the service. He blue corridor it provides a good service, but does not meet the demand for travel. There are not enough buses, but if these companies improve the frequency, the service would be better attended, that is what is needed”, added the president of the NGO Luz Ámbar.
The president of the AAP He mentioned that, in this matter, it must be clear that mass transportation is obviously different from the informal transportation that is provided in small vehicles and, therefore, as happens with the Electric Train ticket subsidyrequires financing and support from the State.
“This situation sets a terrible precedent.; how we can move forward with other improvements for the public transporthow can one think about the entry of electromobility, if the financial sector no longer trusts the transport sector, since the formal companies, which opted for the modernization of this service, today are barely fulfilling their obligations”, he reflected, after noting that given the latest events it will be very difficult to move forward in the creation of a modern public transport systemif we do not solve the current problems before.
Likewise, the union representative said it is unfortunate that the public transport modernization process is paralyzed and that there is no growing renewal of the fleet of transport services except for informal ones.
In the automotive union, he pointed out, we are concerned about what the formal public transport sector. “The service operators have specific and supported requests, and contracts signed with the Peruvian State. What is required now is the restoration of the economic-financial balance, for that it is essential that the State honor its obligations with them; Thus, the conditions will be met to put into operation most of the fleet currently stopped due to lack of liquidity and guarantee the continuity and sustainability of this service, which is the seed of the integrated transport system ”, he emphasized.
Karsten Kunckel argued that it is essential that this situation be resolved as soon as possible, “since, for years Peruvians have been demanding efficient public transport and the authorities ignore it, and with the bankruptcy of formal companies the situation will become worse. A situation that harms us”, he pointed out.
