INTEGRATION OF THE TRANSPORT SYSTEM OF LVIV OBLAST INTO THE EUROPEAN IN THE CONTEXT OF FORCED POPULATION MIGRATION
Authors: HUDZELYAK Iryna , BORSUK Yurii 
Published: June 2024

Transport logistics is designed to promote accessibility and mobility in society. When all the links in the system are in place, the movement of goods and services can be launched without additional intervention. However, sometimes situations arise that destabilise the logistics scheme in a particular transport network in one way or another. In Ukraine, this became apparent after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion. The article reveals the system of factors that influence the process of integration of the transport system in a cross-border region and identifies indicators of transport infrastructure integration.
The Russian-Ukrainian war has led to mass migration towards the European Union. Border crossing points became overloaded, which slowed down traffic during the crossing. Further, the number of trucks used to transport imports, such as military and humanitarian aid, increased. Queues to neighbouring countries, including Poland, also formed.
The study describes the spatial aspects of the functioning of crossing points on the Ukrainian-Polish border, as well as the road and railway network of Lviv Oblast and Subcarpathian Voivodeship. Border crossing points for road transport are constantly loaded with heavy vehicles.
The road and railway networks of the Lviv region are more extensive, which ensures high accessibility not only to close but also to remote points. The article examines motorways from the territory of Lviv Oblast to Poland. These motorways are laid to the Subcarpathian and Lublin voivodeships.
The authors identify separate motorways and logistics hubs to speed up and make the connection between Ukraine and Poland more accessible. The first priority in such planning should be the creation of new border crossing points. Within the region, it is advisable to develop meridional roads from the state border towards mountainous areas.
The study examines the number of buses among all international connections to Poland. The most regular is the Lviv – Warsaw Airport (Modlin) connection, which is associated with the active movement of migrants to one of the largest aviation hubs in Eastern Europe. It was determined that the westernmost end point of the bus service is Trier in Germany. There are no bus services from Lviv to Romania.
The scientific publication presents railway lines of different categories (single-track diesel and double-track electrified) that connect Ukraine and Poland through the territory of Lviv Oblast. It has been established that the European gauge railway is included in the railway stations Mostyska-2, Rava-Ruska, Khyriv. However, most Ukrainian trains run to stations in Poland without changing wheelsets. This is typical for routes running from Lviv to Przemyśl.
The achievement of the Ukrainian and Polish railway operators is to create interchange routes, for example, from Lviv to Warsaw. The potential of the Rava-Ruska railway junction needs to be developed by running other trains. The article mentions that Yurii Borsuk has been actively developing new connections, including Kyiv – Rava-Ruska with a transfer to Warsaw.
The authors propose the idea of connecting Lviv and the nearest European cities using the European 1435 mm gauge. The article highlights the benefits of building the Mostyska-2 – Lviv railway. One of the important aspects of this connection could be the acceleration of export cargo transportation to the European Union.
Keywords: transport system, railway infrastructure, road transport, integration, Ukraine, Poland.