Project under the title: “DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN WARSAW METROPOLITAN AREA THROUGH IMPROVEMENT OF THE WKD (WARSAW COMMUTER RAILWAY) EFFICIENCY, RELIABILITY AND SAFETY” is co-financed by Switzerland under the Swiss-Polish Cooperation Programme includes the implementation of a number of important investments, such as:

• purchase of new trains,
• creation of a modern passenger information and monitoring system at each of the WKD stations and stops,
• actions aimed at improving railway safety by modernising the rail infrastructure and constructing additional safety measures at railway crossings,
• purchase of specialised equipment for professional operation and maintenance of the utilised rolling stock.

Warsaw Commuter Railway in order to implement the project submitted an application within the Priority 2: „Environment and Infrastructure”, thematic area „Reconstruction, renovation, rebuilding and development of basic infrastructure and improvement of the environment”, Objective 3: Improvement of the management, security, performance and reliability of local / regional public transportation systems under the application submission announced in spring 2009.

In October 28, 2009, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) approved WKD’s Project Outline and requested to prepare a Final Project Proposal, which was approved on November 21, 2011. This allowed to sign an agreement concerning the Project on June 1, 2012, between Switzerland represented by SECO and Poland, represented by the Ministry of Regional Development. On June 26, 2012, was signed Project Implementation Agreement between Implementing Authority for European Programmes and Warsaw Commuter Railway.

The project has a strategic character for Warsaw agglomeration area because of large number of transported passengers. Realization of the project will increase economic and social cohesion of the area and will help to reduce the gap between centrum and the less structurally developed regions, and in a broader perspective – between Poland and the more developed countries of Western Europe, which is the main purpose of Swiss help.

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT

The objective of the project is the development of the public transportation system in the Warsaw metropolitan area through the increase of efficiency, reliability, and safety of the WKD railway.

The specific objectives of the project assume:

• Enhance efficiency of WKD by increasing the supply of places in transport offer.
• Increase reliability by purchasing a brand new railway rolling stock.
• Improve safety by creating a passenger information system and monitoring of trains and stations.
• Creating the image of public transport as a modern form of transport.
• Increased share of of public transport in the total transport.

Project Justification

• Project implementation reduces the differences in social and economic development of Poland and more developed European countries.
• The project directly affects the stimulation of the development of the transport sector in the Warsaw agglomeration by financing investments in infrastructure and railway rolling stock and the promotion of sustainable transport.
• The project also has a direct impact on socio-economic progress by developing public transport system of Warsaw agglomeration area, that increases integrity, availability and attractiveness of the settlement and the economy of its peripheral area and reduce pollutant emissions.
• The project is innovative in Polish conditions, both because of the acquired technologies and new, unusual quality of service for passengers.

PROJECT LOCATION

Range of the Project includes the south-west zone of Warsaw agglomeration – along the WKD railway line. It passes through the following cities and towns:

• Warsaw – wards: Ochota i Włochy,
• Gmina Michałowice,
• Gmina Brwinów,
• Pruszków,
• Podkowa Leśna,
• Milanówek,
• Grodzisk Mazowiecki.

The Project Executing Agency is the Warsaw Commuter Railway based in Grodzisk Mazowiecki. The company was established by the founding, prepared on December 22, 2000 in the form of a notarial deed.  Independent economic activity began on July 1, 2001. Currently WKD is a company wholly owned by the local government units. Company activities related to the management of railway infrastructure, on which is organized rail passenger transport.

FINANCING AND THE SCHEDULE OF IMPLEMENTED ACTIONS

A number of actions have been carried out, thanks to which the WKD creates an image of public transport as a modern and friendly way of travelling. The objective of the investment is to improve safety in passenger rail transport, to increase the comfort of travelling, and to ensure the possibility to lower the trains’ travel times.

The total cost of all the investments is PLN 146 million (CHF 37 million), out of which PLN 76 million (CHF 19.4 million) comes from the funds of the Swiss-Polish Cooperation Programme.

Purchase of 6 electric multiple units: an undertaking consisting in the purchase of 6 new vehicles of 60 metres in length, with an electric drive, carrying 505 passengers (including 164 seated), air-conditioned, equipped with modern passenger information systems and passenger counting systems. The vehicles were delivered from April to August 2016.

Implementation cost: PLN 98.23 million gross (PLN 79.86 million net), including SPCP co-funding of: PLN 45.52 million.

Passenger Information and Monitoring System: an undertaking consisting in the creation of a system of dynamic passenger information about the current transport situation on the WKD line together with a system of monitoring stations and stops. The system includes 101 dynamic passenger information boards, INFO/SOS communication, and 86 video-monitoring cameras. Supervised operation of the system commenced in November 2016.

Implementation cost: PLN 5.77 million gross (PLN 4.69 million net), including SPCP co-funding of: PLN 2.67 million.

Construction of automatic crossing signalling devices and an automatic warning system at WKD line railway crossings: an undertaking consisting in equipping railway crossings with devices warning about an approaching train. The undertaking has been planned for the years 2014 to 2017 and covered 16 facilities located along the railway route No. 47: Warszawa Śródmieście WKD – Grodzisk Mazowiecki Radońska.

Implementation cost: PLN 14.19 million gross (PLN 11.53 million net), including SPCP co-funding of: PLN 9.8 million.

Comprehensive repair of a track on the WKD line: an undertaking consisting in the repair of the trackage on the most heavily used routes of the WKD line in order to maintain the proper parameters of the infrastructure. In the course of 2016, works have been conducted on the sections of a total length of 25 kilometres between Warsaw and Podkowa Leśna and Milanówek.

Implementation cost: PLN 23.95 million gross (PLN 19.47 million net), including SPCP co-funding of: PLN 16.55 million.

Delivery and assembly of service devices for electric multiple units: an undertaking consisting in the assembly of new raised platforms located on both sides of one of the inspection trenches in the service hall. The raised platforms, 60 metres long and 4 metres high, shall allow the possibility of comprehensive maintenance of rolling stock. Implementation: 2016-2017.

Implementation cost: PLN 1.46 million gross (PLN 1.19 million net), including SPCP co-funding of: PLN 0.67 million.

Modernisation of street furniture of the stops in the WKD line: an undertaking consisting in preparing the design and installation of new elements of equipment at 45 platform facilities of WKD stations and stops, i.e.: platform roofs, benches, lighting, partitions, and access routes for people with reduced mobility. The implementation of the concept and design part has been planned for the years 2016-2017, whereas the assembly shall be executed on the basis of a separate undertaking in the perspective of 5 years, i.e. in the years 2017-2022.

PROJECT RESULTS

The project has a high potential for achieving significant benefits:

• Improvement of comfort and quality of traveling for all WKD passengers
• Full adaptation of new railway rolling stock to support people with disabilities
• Increase the accessibility of trains for disabled
• Shorten the time of passengers exchange at stops
• Integration with other types of public transport in the Warsaw agglomeration
• Increase the offer of transport on the busiest section of WKD line
• Increase transport safety and passenger safety through the implementation of Passenger Information and Monitoring System

Project impact on cross-cutting issues:

• Environmental aspects – reduction of pollution and noise
• Economic and social aspects – reduction of social costs of the transport
• Equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities and marginalized
• Gender equality
• The implementation of sustainable transport development policy – by increasing the role of public transport in the structure of daily commuting