Corrupt traffic police and a lack of public toilets are the worst things about life in Moscow, according to foreigners who live there.

A poll commissioned by Moscow city authorities, found that expats are also dissatisfied with the high cost of accommodation and low quality of petrol at filling stations.

The night life, however, gets the thumbs up.

The research was conducted by the Russian independent research centre, Romir, which questioned 40 foreign diplomats, businessmen and journalists who have been working and living in the Russian capital at least 2 years.

They were not impressed with the city's residential districts - mainly block after block of multi-storey appartment buildings - describing them as "faceless".

Its railway stations they summed up in one word - "dirty".

Supermarkets did not fare too badly. Respondents gave them on average 3 out of 5, taking into account both price level and quality of service.

The attitude of Muscovites towards the foreigners is perceived as "good" in general, although two thirds of respondents noted that nationalists sometimes made their presence felt.

When asked how much life in Moscow had changed in recent months, the focus group was divided.

Half said it had improved, whereas the other half said it had not changed.