The urban environment quality of large cities in the Vologda oblast

One of the main factors determining the quality of life in cities is the comfort of the urban environment. The provision of social and transport infrastructure, improvement of public spaces, landscaping of urban areas are urgent tasks, the success of which depends on the attractiveness of the city for residents and tourists. The purpose of the study is to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the urban environment quality in large cities of the Vologda Oblast. The article considers a number of theoretical approaches to the assessment of the urban environment quality, which substantiates the importance and feasibility of taking into account both objective assessments of the urban infrastructure, and the subjective opinions of the city residents. We have found that in recent years in Vologda and Cherepovets there has been an increase in the integral value of the index of urban environment quality, calculated as part of the national project “Housing and urban environment”. In the context of particular evaluation criteria, we have found that the condition of green spaces has deteriorated in both cities, and in the regional center, there is also a deterioration of socioeconomic infrastructure and adjacent areas. The quality of housing and social and recreational infrastructure has improved, which, however, is not confirmed by the sociological survey results. According to residents of large cities in the oblast, in 2015-2021 the following problems worsened: reducing the quality and level of provision of the population with housing and public utilities, as well as services of social and transport infrastructure. In general, the survey results show that in both Vologda and Cherepovets the share of the population who positively assess living conditions in cities has increased. In particular, it is most clearly seen in assessments of the quality of road and street repairs, which to some extent allows judging the effectiveness of the activities under the national project “Safe and quality roads”. The research results can be used in the activities of local governments to improve the implemented policy in the socio-residential and housing and utility areas, as well as in the improvement of urban microdistricts.