Millions more passengers will use public transport services and journey times between cities have been reduced as part of a clean urban transport project in the Silesia Province of Poland. The investment scheme is part of a wider programme to modernise the public transport system in Poland in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way, boosting passenger numbers and providing commuters with a better service.
Green transport boosted by improvements to trams and trolleybus services
- 27 May 2015
Tram and trolleybus services in the Upper Silesia Metropolitan Area have been given a boost as part of an effort to make day-to-day travel in the region more environmentally friendly. The aim is to increase the number of people using public transport by about 3.6 million annually.
The project focused on improving public transport services in 7 municipalities in Silesia Province. It included the construction or modernisation of 3 tram routes linking the major cities in the area – Bytom, Chorzów, Katowice, Ruda Śląska, Sosnowiec and Zabrze – to reduce journey times between them by about 5 – 10 %.
Almost 25 km of tram track was reconstructed, and an additional track built. 30 new trams were purchased, which feature display panels and voice announcements to provide passengers with information. Platforms were also adapted to allow disabled access.
Trolleybuses in Tychy
As part of the same project, improvements to public transport services were made in the City of Tychy, also in Silesia Province.
The 15 new trolleybuses that were bought for the city have wheelchair access and a coasting system that allows them to travel for 0.5 km without power from the traction system.
Two new Park & Rides were also built there, with 352 parking spaces available in the multi-storey car parks.
The new tram infrastructure will be owned and managed by Tramwaje Śląskie S.A; the trolleybus infrastructure by Tyskie Linie Trolejbusowe Sp; and the City of Tychy will look after the car parks.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “The modernisation of tram and trolleybus transport infrastructure in the Silesian Agglomeration with accompanying infrastructure” is EUR 201 716 741, of which the EU’s Cohesion Fund contributed EUR 131 305 191 through the “Infrastructure and Environment” Operational Programme for the programming period 2007-2013, under priority axis “Environment-friendly transport”.