ON EARTH AND IN THE SKY

Transit bridge at the connection of the continents.

Oleg Dunaev
Deputy Chairman of
Economics Committee
for Ural region development programs, professor

         Ural region is unique in its way, because it is located at the connection of two continents: Europe and Asia. That geographic peculiarity let Sverdlovsk area and Ural region play a leading role in development of not only national, but also Euro - Asian transportation connections. A lot of most economically sound land and air routes, that connect European and Asian parts of Russia, the countries of Europe and Asian - Pasific Ocean area cross Sverdlovsk area. For instance, suffice it to say that density of the railways of general use in Sverdlovsk area is 182 km at 10 thousand of square km of territory (it is 3,6 times more than average in Russia). Density of automobile roads with hard surface in Ural region is 89 km at 1000 square km of territory. That is also considerably higher than average in Russia.
        Air transportation is carried out in Sverdlovsk area through "Koltsovo" airport - one of the biggest in Russia, that has the status of international one. It is suitable for all types of airplane because of its technical conditions. And that guarantee cooperation with foreign air transporters. The infrastructure of the airport was intended for internal transportation only for a long time. Now it is being reconstructed in three stages. The reconstruction will allow "Koltsovo" to reach the highest international class.
        International automobile transportation is carried out at Ural by the transportation companies - members of Association of international automobile transporters. The volume of automobile international transportation increased 3,5 times during last 5 years. Sverdlovsk area is now at the second place (after Moscow) in the volume of whole-sale trade at internal market and at the fourth (after Moscow, Tumen, St. Petersburg and Krasnoyarsk) in the amount of trade turnover with near and far foreign countries.
        Realization of competitiveness is the integral part of social-economical development strategy for Middle Ural. And in this connection - active using of economical potential of Middle Ural in development of transportation infrastructure of Russia, in creation of international transportation passages, as Europe - Asia, America - Asia.
         World practice shows that for promising development it is necessary to change from competitiveness between separate types of transportation to intermodal, combined types of transportation, large transportation systems that serve them and have integral center of organization and management of cargo delivery process. Role of operator as organizer of transportation and functioning of powerful goods transfer systems is increased distinctively in the systems like that. Unfortunately, in our country that technology of interaction of transportation companies on one side and their customers on the other side is not used yet and have to be not only worked through but also supported legislatively.
        In this connection the first thing to be done at Ural is creation of intermodal logistics terminal on the basis of Sverdlovsk railway in Ekaterinburg. In our opinion it is reasonable to found transportation - industrial logistics company as a joint-stock company with participation of metallurgical and machinery construction companies of the area, Sverdlovsk railway, "Koltsovo" airport, Association of international transporters, area government and Ekaterinburg administration.
        The need in express railway is also critical. That requires modernization of railways at the sections Ekaterinburg -Perm -Moscow (for goods container transportation) and Ekaterinburg - Kazan - Moscow (for passenger transportation). Further modernization of "Koltsovo" international airports for increase of transit passenger transportation and development of cargo air transportation in containers is required. Containerization of transportation, by the way, is our main link in the strategy of innovation renewal of production of Sverdlovsk area economics.
        Development of the second European transportation passage requires working on the project of international highway Ekaterinburg-Moscow (connected with Berlin-Paris). It is reasonable in this connection to consider possibility of creation of consortium with participation of international and Russian finance institutes, private Russian and foreign investors with support and guarantees of the subjects of Ural Region Federation and Russian government.
        We also have to think about raising the competitiveness of Russian automobile transporters at the market of international automobile transportation services. And that have to be done on the account of reduction of expenses on purchasing and maintenance of automobiles, that meet the requirements of European Union. Only during last two years competitiveness of automobile transporters of the area at the market of international transportation service reduced for 3,9 per cent. The part of the automobile transporters of the area is only 7,7% of export-import goods transported in Sverdlovsk area by international automobile transportation. As a result, area budget received millions roubles less.
        Our legislative and executive authorities have to develop the system, that stimulates international transportation by local transportation organisations. Modernization of transportation and its close interaction with all branches of region economics are also required. Without it we can not lower transportation tariffs and raise competitiveness of Ural goods at internal an international markets.