PKP Polish Railway Lines has launched the first tender procedure under the Kolej Plus programme covering the development of design documentation and supervision for the construction of Wieluń rail connection on the Line No. 181 to Chorzew Siemkowice on the Line No. 131.
PLN 580 million (EUR 118.7 million) is the estimated value of the contract which follows the agreement signed with the Marshal’s Office of the Lodz Voivodeship in September 2022.
“Kolej Plus is designed to combat transport exclusion in many Polish regions. We will improve communication between many cities and voivodeship centres. This is the first programme of this type in which the government cooperates with the local government and co-finances projects submitted by local communities,” Andrzej Bittel, secretary of state in the Ministry of Infrastructure, said.
Thanks to the construction of a new rail connection between line No. 131 and No. 181, the inhabitants of the southern part of the Łódź Province will gain a quick and convenient railway access to Łódź.It is estimated that after the construction of the new line, the travel time from Wieluń to the capital of the voivodeship will be about 1 hour 39 minutes.
“The inhabitants of Wieluń and the southern part of the voivodeship, thanks to the construction of new stops, will be able to use trains for everyday transport to work or school, and for tourist purposes. Travelling by rail is the choice of one of the most ecological means of transport among public transport,” Ireneusz Merchel, the CEO of PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe said.
Under the project a 28 km single track electrified line with 5 stops will be constructed.The facilities will ensure comfortable conditions for waiting for the train.They will be equipped with shelters, benches, bright lighting and adapted to the needs of people with reduced mobility.The appropriate height of the platforms will facilitate getting on and off the train.
Poland has qualified 34 projects from 11 voivodeships to be implemented under the Kolej Plus rail access programme, with two selected projects in Łódź Voivodeship totalling 68 km of rail which cover reconstruction and extension of the existing connections and the construction of Wieluń rail connection.
All projects include 1,200 km of lines which will improve connections in twelve voivodeships providing 1.5 million inhabitants better access to rail passenger transport.
Under the programme, 14 projects covering 515 km of lines need reconstruction and/or extensions, 11 projects require revitalisation for more than 400 km of lines, while 19 projects totalling 285 km need the construction of the rail infrastructure. In addition, for 183 km of lines project documentation is needed.
The programme was designed to provide towns with more than 10,000 inhabitants better rail access through the modernisation or revitalisation of the existing connections as well as by constructing new railway lines to connect them to regions’ railway network. Starting 2020, the entire programme entered selection procedure which included strict requirements to qualify for future stages.
The programme will be implemented until 2028 and worth PLN 13.2 billion (EUR 2.7 billion), with PLN 11.2 billion (EUR 2.3 billion) covered from the state budget and PLN 2 billion (EUR 409.4 million) from local governments.
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