Mobility infrastructure is a key issue in discussions about the critical transformation of cities as centers of (fossil) capital. The challenge is to overcome car-centrism and refocus on collective mobility networks and vehicles. Examining the case of trolleybuses in Bishkek, the capital of the former Soviet Republic of Kyrgyzstan, Bermet Borubaeva and Egor Muleev remind us that we also need to ask about the democratic accountability of installing sustainable mobility infrastructure: in Bishkek, trolleybuses are the only electric public transport option with a higher capacity than all other available means of transportation. Yet, encouraged by a Swiss consulting firm, City Hall wants to replace the existing electric bus with another electric bus, of course on credit.
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A Trolleybus Rescue Group was formed in response to the first cuts in the trolleybus overhead wires in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek in 2024. During the summer months, the group initiated a series of protest activities involving citizens, employees of the Trolleybus Company, police, prosecutor’s office, political parties, courts, representatives of banks and NGOs in the field of international finance.
We will highlight the issue of governance in the context of publicly owned infrastructure. In this context, governance refers to the ability to define a vision for the future and to implement the necessary means to achieve it. In the drama of the Bishkek trolleybuses, workers and citizens have three different visions and different abilities to implement them.
Rule of bureaucracy
In the present era, public ownership means the rule of bureaucracy. It should be noted that the term ‘bureaucrats’ does not refer exclusively to city officials. There are numerous intertwined circles, including the administration of the municipal trolley bus company, the Ministry of Finance (which oversees negotiations with multilateral financial corporations), controlled entities (such as the Audit Chamber and the Public Prosecutor’s Office), as well as bank employees and related consultants. Bureaucracy is a complex phenomenon consisting of a combination of formal and informal rules, traditions and ideas.
The trolleybus case is an excellent example of this. Throughout the 2010s, the city government allocated funds from various sources, including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), to renovate the fleet and maintain the infrastructure. In 2019, consultants from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) presented a report stating that the existing trolleybus system was not a worthwhile investment and recommended a shift to e-buses. They did not propose a complete phase-out of trolleybuses, but rather a partial replacement of the diesel fleet with electric vehicles. Subsequently, the EBRD financed the purchase of 1,000 CNG buses to replace the diesel fleet. This made the ADB feasibility study irrelevant. The ADB has already provided funding, but the results of its feasibility study are no longer relevant under the current circumstances.
In addition, there is a significant discrepancy between stated and actual outcomes. The narrative of the international banks emphasizes sustainability, robustness, resilience, climate-friendliness, poverty reduction, and equity. However, the procurement of a new fleet and equipment remains the only visible outcome. The attitude of the city government seems to be one of passive acceptance, with the funds being conservatively managed to ensure the continued maintenance of the existing transport system without significant changes. The route network remains unchanged, as does the fare system and car-centric traffic management. Public transport drivers will continue to be heavily exploited. However, in June 2024, City Hall initiated the demolition of the trolleybus system due to its poor economic performance, inability to avoid traffic congestion, and the unsightly nature of the infrastructure. Activists have also alleged that the legal procedures for such a decision were violated, with orders being issued by telephone. Neither the police nor the public prosecutor’s office found any evidence of a violation of the law. In addition, urban planning documents do not appear to be functioning as intended.
To some extent, the city’s vision for the future is held hostage by city officials. As part of the organizational structure, there is the possibility of being subordinated to a higher level, as all financial agreements are processed through the Ministry of Finance and Parliament. In this context, there is no overarching vision for the future. Instead, the specific decisions visible at the city level result from short-term interdependencies.
Workers’ struggles
The primary objective for all employees is to maintain optimal technical performance. In most cases, they do not have much autonomy in setting the agenda, but they are expected to deliver the best results regardless of significant shortfalls in available resources. Although the catenary network is somewhat outdated, efforts are being made to maintain the system. Engineers have been fortunate to secure funding from the EBRD for the partial replacement of electrical equipment. A number of changes have been made to the route network, including short extensions, but these have had limited impact. In light of these circumstances, the Trolleybus Company has adopted a conservative approach, implementing incremental improvements that have allowed the system to remain operational with the available resources and expertise. This strategy proved successful, as ridership increased prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and recovered afterwards.
In August 2023, the drivers went on strike to demand a salary increase. A year later, in the summer of 2024, they did not participate in any protest activities related to the possible dismantling of the trolleybus service. The only employee who made a personal contribution is a dispatcher from one of the substations. An engineer from the Trolleybus Company assisted the Rescue Group by providing information on all planned night-time network reductions. At the same time, a number of engineers and workers left the company in protest against the dismantling of the system. However, they did not participate in the protests.
It is clear that there is a discrepancy between the attachment to work and the inability to voice concerns. The role of City Hall in reallocating resources is a significant constraint on engineer-led governance. An increase in authoritarianism has created a climate of fear that discourages people from voicing their concerns. The only option left for engineers and workers is to leave the company and prevent the transfer of knowledge. As a result of high turnover and a decline in the skills of those who remain, the governance structure has shifted to less skilled but more compliant relationships. This gives City Hall significant leverage in shaping the future vision for the public transport system, which may not be fully aligned with engineering performance goals.
Public transport
In the spring of 2024, City Hall initiated the subsequent reduction of the marshrutka service. The trolleybus drama has also contributed to the overall reduction of vehicles in service. Trolleybuses are the only electric public transportation option with a higher capacity than all other available means of transportation. As a result of this policy, public transportation has been experiencing significant overcrowding since the beginning of the new school year.
In response to this concern, along with the trolleybus issue, two civic transportation meetings were organized by the Rescue Group. It was a unique opportunity for citizens to make their voices heard. An open microphone was provided for participants to share their views, and many citizens took advantage of the opportunity. In addition to the trolleybus issue, citizens called for more frequent and spacious public transportation. While the strategic goals of the officials remain unclear, the Rescue Group initiated a discussion that revealed significant dissatisfaction with the management of the city’s transportation system. In terms of current developments, the website for collecting ideas about the future of Bishkek’s trolleybuses is now available on a self-organized platform.
In addition to the rally, the rescue group has organized a number of activities. These include a trolleybus tour of the city, an action entitled The Last Trolleybus at the bus stop in front of City Hall, and a photo exhibition entitled “Loving Trolleybuses.” The aim of these activities was to emphasize the broader role of the 70-year-old trolleybus system, beyond its purely functional aspect. Moreover, all nightly disturbances of the overhead wires were meticulously documented and widely disseminated through social media channels. Last but no least, two court cases were initiated and complaints were filed through the bank’s internal audit mechanisms. As a likely result of these activities, the planned demolition of the overhead lines was halted. To date, approximately 20 km of the 200 km network has been lost and 30 vehicles have been transferred to other cities in the Kyrgyz Republic.
Whose vision of a sustainable future?
The governance of publicly owned infrastructure suggests that City Hall should be the primary entity responsible for developing a long-term vision for the future. By using the executive mechanism and informal relationships, a few bureaucrats effectively monopolize the ability to imagine future possibilities. The decision to demolish the trolleybuses is a local initiative that is not part of a broader strategy to improve the transportation system. Our observations show that there is not only a lack of strategy, but also a lack of data and responsibility.
During the summer months, the Rescue Group initiated a discussion on this issue and presented an alternative perspective on the governance of public infrastructure. The protest has already yielded promising results, suggesting that it has the potential for further growth and development, despite the challenges posed by the authoritarian tendencies prevalent in the Kyrgyz Republic.