As the president of PKP PLK, Ireneusz Merchel, informed the Polish infrastructure manager wants to sign new contracts with railway contractors this year. A large part of the contracts was suspended pending the updating of the National Railway Program.
As PKP PLK reported a few months ago, the value of contracts already signed for projects and implementation of investments under the National Railway Program covers PLN 32 billion (EUR 7.43 billion). From that time, PKP PLK significantly drew new contracts. The reason of the suspension was the significant cost overruns by all bidders and therefore an update of the National Railway Program was needed, containing the cost estimates of the investment.
After the recent National Railway Program update by the government, PKP PLK wants to return to signing contracts. The most important aspect is the program of improving railway access to ports, which is to be co-financed from EU funds (mainly CEF). PKP PLK chose Intercor and Torpol consortium as the contractor for works at the Port of Gdansk. The contract was signed for PLN 1.14 billion (EUR 264.8 million). In the next two weeks PKP PLK will settle further tenders.
In total, this year the Polish infrastructure manager wants to sign contracts worth PLN 15 billion (EUR 3.5 billion). According to the President of PKP PLK, the current implementation capabilities of PKP PLK, both in terms of the potential of contractors and the permissible difficulties on the railway network, are about PLN 10-12 billion (EUR 2.32-2.78 billion). As he emphasized, despite twice the number of track closures at the beginning of 2019, train punctuality did not decrease compared to the previous year.
PKP PLK announced that it prepares documentation and feasibility studies for railway investment to be made after 2023. Thus, PKP PLK says that after 2023 investments in the railway infrastructure may exceed PLN 100 billion (EUR 23.2 billion). This amount includes the construction of the Central Rail Line (Centralna Magistrala Kolejowa) and the construction of the “Ygrek” High Speed Railway – or another way to improve the connection between Warsaw and Wrocław.
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