The recent revitalisation of a railway line between the Polish towns of Kluczbork and Ostrzeszów – made possible thanks to the EU’s Cohesion Fund – will bring long term benefits to citizens and commuters living and working in the region by strengthening sustainable transport links and making rail travel more attractive.
Renovated rail line to benefit citizens of south-west Poland
- 26 September 2016
Restoring rail travel
This major project, which involved the renovation and restoration of a total of 60 km of railway line, consisted of track replacements and structural engineering, the building of new platforms and control command systems and the construction of new vehicular and pedestrian crossings. Elements of the overhead contact line have also been replaced.
The work will help to increase rail capacity along this stretch of line especially during peak rush hours, reduce journey times and increase the comfort of commuters.
Better service
Completion of the renovation work means that trains can now travel along this 60 km stretch at higher speeds than before and with greater loads. Furthermore, the project team estimates that passenger transport time savings will be worth EUR 95 493 a year, which freight transport time savings will be worth EUR 2 182 283 a year. The project will generate revenue in the form of railway track access charges.
Since the early 1990s, the Polish railway system has faced ever increasing competition from private automotive transport and the country's rapidly expanding network of motorways and express roads. However, ever decreasing journey times, better schedules which allow for well-coordinated connections and large-scale investment in infrastructure as well as new rolling stock are helping to entice people back onto the railways.
This project is very much part of this objective. By increasing the attractiveness and accessibility of rail as a means of getting to work, the project will help to reduce congestion on the road and contribute towards increased use of greener and more sustainable modes of transport.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Improvement of the quality of transport services by amelioration of the technical condition of the railway line no. 272 on the Kluczbork – Ostrzeszów section” is EUR 65 574 652, with the EU’s Cohesion Fund contributing EUR 37 790 982 through the “Infrastructure and Environment” Operational Programme for the 2007-2013 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Environment-friendly Transport”.