The effect of transport parameters on regional economic development: The case of the Ural Federal District

The transport has a special role to play in the regional socioeconomic development, which changes depending on the prevailing trends for population mobility, introduction of advanced technologies, extension of economic connections, and growth in regional production. The study explores the problem of the interface between transport and regional economy on the example of the Ural Federal District. Methodologically, it relies on the theories of spatial development and regional economics. The main method of research is correlation and regression analysis. The evidence is the socioeconomic data on transport as well as values of gross regional product of the Ural Federal District for 2010–2020 sourced from the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation. The paper develops a model for forecasting GRP. The analysis indicates the presence of the relationship between the socioeconomic metrics of the transport sector and gross regional product of the Ural Federal District. In particular, there is the correlation between the indicators “density of public roads with hard surface”, “deaths in road accidents per 100,000 population” and gross regional product of the Ural Federal District. The paper concludes about the need to develop a composite indicator for assessing the transport sector that will reflect the ongoing digital modernisation and introduction of innovations.