If  I  Was  Kyiv’s  Mayor

By Walter Kish

I have now been living in Kyiv for over a year and a half, and in that time have realized a deep affection for the city. To plagiarize a famous quote about another famous city, if you are tired of Kyiv then you are tired of life. I have frequently written in this column about all those aspects of Kyiv that inspire my love and interest. Now, I propose to address some of the shortcomings of Kyiv that need serious attention.

In the upcoming elections later this month a new city Kyiv head will be selected. I propose the following as the first three issues that I would address if I were the newly elected mayor.

First and foremost, I would ban the parking of cars on the city’s sidewalks, promenades and squares. The historic downtown core of Kyiv is blessed with many spacious and beautiful pedestrian facilities. However, during the past year, these have been taken over by cars. As in many older European cities, in the downtown there is a serious shortage of parking spaces for cars in Kyiv. The approach that Kyiv’s municipal authorities have taken is to allow cars to park on sidewalks and squares that were previously the preserve of pedestrians. With the boom in Kyiv’s economy has come an explosion of privately owned cars and this has had a deleterious impact on pedestrian circulation in the downtown core.

It has been my experience that a large proportion of Ukrainian drivers are careless, incompetent, dangerous, rude, and arrogant, and this is also reflected in their parking habits. Drivers routinely block sidewalks, intimidate pedestrians and show nothing but contempt for those making their way on foot. What used to be a scenic pedestrian paradise has now become a dangerous obstacle course. The beautiful promenades on Khreshchatyk have become large parking lots, where the unwary perambulator runs up against a gauntlet of cars driving on the sidewalk searching for a parking spot. To me the situation has reached crisis proportions and will undoubtedly have a significant negative impact on tourism if something is not done soon. Sadly, Kyiv city authorities are among those elites more commonly found in overpriced and overpowered Mercedes and SUVs and, hence, are more likely to be part of the problem than the solution. So far they have shown little interest in addressing the issue.

Secondly, I would ban smoking in the underground passageways in the intersections in downtown Kyiv. Those who have visited Kyiv and the core around Khreshchatyk, in particular, know that you can’t cross the street above ground, but have to use underground passageways. The biggest of these is under Independence Square, which also serves as an entranceway to one of the busiest Metro stations in Kyiv. Here are found all manner of vendors, buskers and little cafйs and outlets. It is also where young people tend to loiter in great numbers, particularly in inclement weather, and it seems that they all smoke. The air reeks with smoke. Poor air circulation compounds the problem by thickening the atmosphere and rendering it nearly impassable by evening except with a gas mask. I am convinced that each time I cross this passageway, I am sacrificing a couple of weeks of my life. Kyiv should follow the example of most of the civilized capitals of the world and ban smoking in public areas, particularly in confined spaces with high traffic.

Lastly, as mayor of Kyiv I would do something about the chaotic taxi system here, which seems to be totally bereft of any regulation or control. Taxis are not metered and pricing is at the whim of the driver. Unwary tourists, unfamiliar with local rates are routinely gouged, and rates vary considerably depending on location, time of day and availability of taxis. The train station and airport are free-for-all areas where poor passengers exiting from a train or the customs hall are beset by an unruly pack of drivers or their agents badgering you all the way to the exits and beyond.

Many of these are not even legitimate taxis but unlicensed freelancers looking to make some extra bucks, not so affectionately known as ‘gypsy cabs.’  Sadly, many of their vehicles belong in a junk yard rather than the streets. I have on a number of occasions arrived at the train station and struck a deal with a driver at the entrance, only to arrive at the vehicle to find that it is a dirty, beat up old Zhiguli or Lada that looks as if it would have a hard time making it out of its parking spot, never mind getting me home safely.

Surely, it would not take much to institute a proper licensing system, insist on metering, set up standard rates and restrict taxis at major venues like airports and train stations to designated and managed stands and pickup areas. If Kyiv wants to be considered a world class city, then it should have a properly regulated world class taxi system.

Needless to say, it should also ensure that whether above ground or below, the city is a safe, clean, healthy, welcoming and pleasant place for a tourist, or any pedestrian for that matter, to stroll around.