On May 12, 2025, Kyiv hosted the event “Post-War Recovery of Konotop: Visionary Approaches to Sustainable Urban Development”. The event was organized by the NGO Vision Zero, Konotop City Council, and Kyiv School of Economics (Program in Urban Studies and Postwar Reconstruction), which provided the venue for the event.

The purpose of the event was to present strategic vision documents for the sustainable recovery of Konotop after the end of martial law: 

• The concept of the reconstruction of Pryvokzalna Square based on the principles of sustainability, climate resilience and accessibility;
• Strategy for the modernization and development of the tram system in the city of Konotop.

"Pryvokzalna Square is a reference point, a starting point from which we must develop. Barrier-free, parking, and a well-thought-out transport interchange begin with it and the railway station: buses, trams, and including the railway," said Konotop Mayor Artem Semenikhin .

Mayor of Konotop Artem Semenikhin

Director of the Konotop Transport Department Viktor Tymoshenko

Transport planner and expert of the NGO “Vision Zero” Yuriy Lozovenko , presenting the concept of the reconstruction of the Pryvokzalnaya Square in Konotop, showed that the square in front of the railway station is envisaged as a transport hub and urban public space. “One of the important stages of the project was a live workshop with various community representatives. Based on its results, we identified their needs and wishes - this is a barrier-free space, more greenery and related infrastructure for rest and spending time, a photo zone for remembrance, a fountain in front of the station, as well as a symbol of the Konotop tram.”

Visualization of the general appearance of the Square, which takes into account the needs and wishes of the community

In his report, the expert said that in the future, the planning decision should include:

• increased pedestrian space and direct passage from the central entrance
• reduction of the area of the roadway and parking lot while maintaining the function
• arrangement of convenient tram stops and suburban bus stops on the square
• safe traffic intersections and traffic management on nearby streets
• reducing the area of asphalt and increasing greenery
• placement of a “tram-cafe”, a fountain, recreation areas, etc.
• integration of the adjacent Freedom Park with the square

Event moderator and architect Artem Polyukh and transport planner Yuriy Lozovenko

Summing up, Yuriy Lozovenko emphasized that the reconstruction should take place according to the principles of universal design, human-centeredness, and climate sustainability.

The next part of the event was the presentation of the results of the second component of the project “Strategy for the Modernization and Development of the Tram System of the City of Konotop”. Its goal was to propose a concept (strategic vision) for the development of the tram network of Konotop, which would include measures that would increase the efficiency of the tram in the city and turn it into the main mode of transport of the city. At the same time, the focus of the experts was precisely on increasing the efficiency of the main part of its network.

After a thorough study of the strengths and weaknesses of the Konotop tram, the order and priorities for the reconstruction of the tram system were determined. The critical section of the system (the part of the network where all three routes currently run: along Svobody Street from Proriznaya Street to Myru Avenue) needs reconstruction first, since the functioning of the entire tram system depends on its capacity and condition.

Public transport expert Anton Hagen

“Reconstruction of a critical single-track section of the system without closing traffic is almost impossible, so it is worth considering the possibility of combining these works with works on other important sections that were also identified in this project,” Anton Gagen , a public transport expert at the NGO “Vision Zero,” said in his report. He added that in parallel, it is necessary to carry out no less important measures, such as the reconstruction of the tram depot, the construction of platforms at stops, the modernization of tracks on other sections, in accordance with priority and taking into account long-term development plans, as well as the reconstruction of the terminal sections with the laying of more comfortable radii for operation with the organization of passenger boarding on straight sections.”

The event ended with a discussion and networking between guests and speakers about how the process of developing project solutions works.

The following worked on the project :

From the city of Konotop – Mayor Artem Semenikhin, Deputy Mayor Svitlana Samsonenko;
KP “Konotop Transport Department” – director Viktor Tymoshenko, Natalia Yablonska and Serhiy Tyagniy;
Konotop City Council – Department of Urban Planning and Architecture Olena Sydorenko, Olena Kovalenko.

From the public organization “Vision Zero”: Chairman of the Board Viktor Zagreba, Coordinator Kateryna Lozovenko, Expert Team: Anton Gagen, Yuriy Lozovenko, Artem Polyukh.

About the project:

The project “Climate-neutral and accessible transport infrastructure of Konotop” was implemented by the NGO “Vision Zero” from November 1, 2024 to May 31, 2025. The project is being implemented in cooperation with the Konotop City Council within the framework of grant support from the European Climate Foundation (ECF) in 2024-2025.