Ukraine implementing barrier-free projects at five key transport hubs

Minister of Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov said this at a meeting of the Barrier-Free Environment Council on October 27, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"In July this year, our team chose the path of launching pilot projects in Ukraine to create barrier-free environment at key infrastructure facilities. The idea is that these projects should become a benchmark for each industry. And then we will apply this experience to other similar facilities,” the minister said.

He added that pilot projects are currently being implemented in the country's largest transport hubs: Boryspil International Airport, Kyiv Railway Station and Kyiv Central Bus Station. Similar projects have been launched at Kharkiv Railway Station and at Lviv International Airport.

According to Kubrakov, Kyiv Central Bus Station has become the first private transport infrastructure facility to build barrier-free infrastructure. The minister said that Boryspil Airport and Kyiv Railway Station had passed the first two stages of project implementation: these facilities had been examined for accessibility and plans for the development of barrier-free environment had already been created for each of them. In addition, Boryspil Airport has started tender procedures for relevant construction works.

As reported, on April 14, the government approved the National Strategy for the Barrier-Free Environment and established a Council to control and monitor the implementation of this strategy.

The national strategy, initiated by First Lady Olena Zelenska, is aimed at creating conditions for equal access to public spaces for citizens with temporarily or permanently limited mobility, people with disabilities etc.

On July 14, the Cabinet of Ministers approved a large-scale action plan for 2021-2022 to implement the National Strategy for Barrier-Free Environment in Ukraine.

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