PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe has announced two design tenders for rail projects to be carried out under Kolej Plus in Silesia Province improving transport connection between Katowice and Bytom. The two projects have a total value of EUR 87 million and are expected to be completed in 2028.
The first tender covers the restauration of rail passenger transport between Katowice Ligota and Tychy providing residents of the southern districts of Katowice (Ochojca, Murcek, Kostuchny and Podlesie) better access to trains. The project covers a passing loop in Murcki to improve transport services and the construction of three collision-free intersections of tracks with roads at the rail-level crossings. The estimated travel time between Tychy and Katowice is 29 minutes. Currently, the route Katowice Ligota – Tychy is used mainly in freight traffic.
PLN 140 million (EUR 29.7 million) is the estimated value of the entire project covering the design and construction works. The design works are expected to be completed in 2023 – 2026 and the construction is planned to begin in 2026 and to be completed in 2028. The works are implemented under the “Preparation of an alternative agglomeration connection Tychy – Katowice Murcki – Katowice Ligota on the railway line No. 142″ project.
The second tender covers the direct connection of Bytom with Zabrze, Ruda Chebzie and Katowice. The project involves the construction of 5 km of track and the modernisation of existing 4 km of rail section between Zabrze Biskupice and Ruda Chebzie, on the railway line No. 189. Two new stops will be also constructed. The design works will be implemented in 2023 – 2025 and the construction could be carried out from 2026 to 2028. The project is estimated at PLN 270 million (EUR 57.3 million). When completed, the project will reduce the journey time to 10 minutes from Bytom to Ruda Chebzie.
Kolej Plus in Silesia region includes seven projects with an estimated value of PLN 2 billion (EUR 424.87 million). The Polish rail infrastructure manager PKP PLK has signed the contracts with all applicants. Tenders have already been announced for three projects including these two tenders and for the railway connection between Jastrzębie and Zdrój. In Silesian Voivodship, the Kolej Plus programme includes the revitalisation and/or expansion for 112 km of tracks. The projects cover the restauration of two connections to Katowice which in total involve 38 km of tracks, the expansion of the lines No. 189, 132 and 162 and the construction of the second track along the 20 km Jaśkowice – Katowice rail connection. For 33 km of track revitalisaion works are planned by local authorities.
At national level, the Kolej Plus programme will be implemented until 2029 and worth PLN 13.2 billion (EUR 2.8 billion), with a PLN 11.2 billion (EUR 2.38 billion) financing from the state budget and PLN 2 billion (EUR 424.87 million) being provided by the local governments.
The projects to be carried out must be assumed by local authorities which will receive co-financing from state budget covering at least 15% of eligible costs. To benefit the financing, they should demonstrate that following the projects’ completion, minimum 4 pairs of trains would operate the new or revitalised connection for at least five years.
The programme proposes the revitations of construction of rail connections to provide increased access to rail services or to deliver rail connection to the cities which do not have access to the rail transport services.
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