Astana, Kazakhstan, April 25
By Daniar Mukhtarov - Trend:
During a meeting on Astana city's further development, held on April 25, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev suggested mulling the possibility of banning the use of studded tires in the capital city.
Astana city's mayor (akim) Imangali Tasmagambetov said that currently 1,300 large facilities are being constructed in the city, and 700 concrete mixers are moving on Astana's roads.
"These are large vehicles that make 200 million trips a year, not to mention the other large ones carrying slabs, bricks, including six winter months, and thus 400,000 vehicles. They [the tires] are studded, and these spikes cut one centimeter of asphalt during the winter six months. Europe generally does not use studded tires," he said.
The president's question whether it is required to use the studded tires in the city, was answered by representatives of the City Internal Affairs Department who said that "it is not prohibited by law, and, in general, there is no need to use studded tires in the capital of Kazakhstan."
Aside from that the department's representatives said that people generally buy studded tires for safety reasons, but in fact there is no benefit from this.
"We in fact clean streets rather well and there are no problems that require the use of studded tires," Tasmagambetov said.
Translated by E.A.
Edited by C.N.