The Polish infrastructure manager, PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe, has adopted the rail investment strategy for 2021 – 2030 with a perspective until 2040, together with the documentation prepared as part of the strategic environmental impact assessment.
The document underlines the priorities for the development of the railway network until 2040 by identifying investment projects that best serve to achieve the goals set for rail transport.
The purpose of the environmental impact assessment is to identify and assess the expected environmental impacts resulting from the implementation of investment projects mentioned by the plan. If the strategy faces the so-called significant negative impacts on the environment, mitigation measures will be proposed.
Prior to adoption, the rail investment strategy and the EIA entered public consultation in two rounds: from October 16 to November 13, 2020 and from March 23 to April 12, 2021. All comments and applications were analysed and justified remarks were included in the content of the document and the environmental impact forecast.
The plan includes six main directions covering all transport modes and for rail transport, the strategy proposes:
- A comprehensive modernisation expansion and revitalization of the existing network for the completion of the TEN-T Core and Comprehensive networks;
- The revitalisation and expansion of railway lines in cities’ agglomerations;
- The implementation of the projects of regional importance;
- Developing the local and regional railway infrastructure, including the projects part of the Kolej+ programme;
- The removal of the bottlenecks and improvement of the parameters of the railway network;
- The deployment of the ERTMS according to the National Implementation Plan;
- The modernisation of the stations and stops including their infrastructure and tracks;
- The implementation of the rail projects under the Solidarity Transport Hub (CPK).
The rail investment strategy considers the goals and priorities which are also identified by the EU’s policy on the development of sustainable transport and the European Green Deal.
The Polish rail infrastructure manager says that for the implementation of the projects, EU funds will be used as a main financial resource, through the MFF 2021-2027 and the Next Generation EU, under which Poland is able to receive EUR 139 billion in grants and EUR 34 billion in loans.
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