Correspondence Exeter

Correspondence Between Senior Leaders of Exeter and Yaroslavl

Мэрия

города Ярославля

Андропова ул., Д.6

г.Ярославль, 150999

тел. (4852) 40-47-27;

e-mail: ud@city-yar.ru;

факс (4852) 40-47-38;

http://city-yaroslavl.ru

Leader of the Exeter City Council

(Great Britain)

Cllr. Philip Bialyk

20 09 2021

Situation in Yaroslavl

Dear Mr. Bialyk,

I sincerely greet you and send my best wishes in these difficult times. It is the second year that we have to work with restrictions and put all our efforts to struggle with coronavirus pandemic. More than 100 thousand Yaroslavl residents have been fully vaccinated. In Yaroslavl vaccination sites are open not only in hospitals, but also in large shopping centers and social facilities. We hope to overcome the problems the pandemic brings and return to open communication and offline events.

Currently most events in Yaroslavl in the sphere of international cooperation are organized in online format. I am sure that you know perfectly well that online communication has become the most popular form; indeed members of the Exeter Yaroslavl Twinning Association and their Yaroslavl friends regularly meet online and discuss different issues.

At the same time the life goes on, and the city continues to carry out large infrastructural projects. One of the achievements of this year is the construction of the new school for 1000 students in one of the new Yaroslavl districts; it opens on September 1. The two new kindergartens will soon start to work.

During the last six months city outdoor lighting system in Yaroslavl has been fully renovated. Old equipment has been replaced by energy-saving lighting technology; now in evenings and nights the city looks different. This summer we have started to change the public transport system: upgraded route schemes, bought new buses and trolleybuses, grated contactless payment system for passengers and discounts for the most vulnerable social groups in all public transport routes.

Mr. Bialyk, I know that in Exeter city life also changes for the better, the city infrastructure is developing; I will be glad to hear the Exeter news from you and your colleagues. I am sure that once the situation in the world comes to its normal, we will return to personal communication and to our plans of cooperation. I sincerely wish success and health to you and to all citizens of Exeter!

Best regards,

Deputy Mayor of Yaroslavl Viacheslav Gavrilov

Deputy Mayor Viacheslav Gavrilov

Many thanks for the recent correspondence sent to the City Council by your colleague Daina Raschepkina, which I read with great interest.

We too are experiencing high levels of Covid infections here in Exeter, as is the rest of the country, and it remains a concern. We continue to urge all residents to be cautious, to get tested regularly, to self-isolate if they test positive and ensure that they get vaccinated when they are offered the chance to do so.

I thought I would take the opportunity to update you on what’s been happening in Exeter in a bit more detail in the attached document, which I hope you find of interest.

A recent highlight was the opening of the brand new Exeter Bus Station, which was paid for by the City Council, with a contribution from the Local Enterprise Partnership. This has made a big difference to a key gateway into Exeter. The old bus station – where I worked for many years – dates back to 1964 and was no longer fit for purpose. It will eventually be demolished to make way for new development. A week before it opened in July, the new bus station received a Royal visit from Prince Charles, and I attach a picture.

As well as looking at the new bus station, Prince Charles was able to see for himself many of the initiatives and organisations in Exeter who are committed to active travel as a way of cutting traffic congestion and pollution.

It was a fantastic opportunity to highlight what we are trying to achieve here in Exeter – a greener, healthier and more active city. Exeter is already one of the most active cities in the country, and this remains a priority for us.

That is why we are currently building an ultra-low energy swimming pool and leisure centre in the city centre which is expected to open later this year. It will be an amazing facility for our city and I welcome the day when I am able to show you this in person.

As you may be aware, the Council is striving for a Net Zero Carbon Exeter by 2030. This, above all else, will be our greatest challenge over the next decade.

So thank you again for keeping in touch and sharing your news, your continued friendship and partnership fostered through our joint twinning link continues to be very important to us here in Exeter, and I wish you and all the residents of Yaroslavl all the very best for the future.

Kind regards

Phil

Phil Bialyk

Leader, Exeter City Council