‘There are certain requirements for the minimal number of parking lots that have to be provided near shops and trade centers, but these requirements are somewhat outdated. They do not correspond with the current rate of car use in large cities and will have to be changed in 2007. Even now, no building, be it a store, an office facility, or a block of flats, can be put in commission without enough parking space, including the underground areas,’ Deputy Mayor of Yekaterinburg Viktor Konteev announced in the course of the meeting devoted to the consumer market success in 2006.

‘One reason why there are so many traffic jams in Yekaterinburg is that there is a lot of transit transport. There are two ways of dealing with the problem. Firstly, we should finish the last part of Yekaterinburg orbital motorway; in two years’ time, the bypass will be placed within the circle of the motorway, and the transiting transport will use it without having to enter the city itself. Secondly, some in-between parking areas and large logistics terminals for unloading goods should be introduced. This means that these goods will be then delivered to different destinations within the city in smaller vehicles,’ Mr Konteev said.