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Position concerning the programme ‘State aid in financing the costs of management of rail infrastructure, including its maintenance and renovation for the years 2014-2023’

Drafted in July 2015, the programme ‘State aid in financing the costs of management of rail infrastructure, including its maintenance and renovation for the years 2014-2023’ is – in the opinion of Pro Kolej Foundation – an important and needed document. What should be greatly appreciated is a recommendation it puts forward to significantly increase the outlays to maintain rail infrastructure and allocate funds for the benefit of PKP PLK S.A. to lower rates of access to rail infrastructure.

ProKolej on the long-term railway infrastructure maintenance contract to be signed

According to Rynek Kolejowy, a Polish news portal dedicated to railway industry, the Polish Ministry of Infrastructure and Development is planning to sign a long-term railway maintenance contract with the Polish infrastructure operator, PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe, before the end of June 2015. It is very good news. The railway community, including ProKolej Foundation, has been long advocating for more stability and efficiency to be given to the national railway operator.

Digitization of train-related documents

The archaic law blocks the digitization of railway. Pro Kolej Foundation proposes to amend the Resolution of the Minister for Transport of 2006 regarding train-related paper documents (railworthiness certificates, braking sheets, list of wagons in a trainset). Use of electronic versions of the said and also other similar documentation will increase transparency, efficiency and, as a result, safety of performed transport operations.

Digitization of train-related documents

Rynek Kolejowy: Pro Kolej about the tender for railway transport in the Warmian-Mazurian Voivodeship

On Friday (17.04), offers in the tendering procedure for a five-year contract for railway services in the Warmian-Mazurian Voivodeship were opened. The ProKolej Foundation is of the opinion that launching the tender let the local government keep a comparable price level of railway services. At the same time, there are some comments that the services could even be cheaper if officers would not run out of courage at the last stage of the correction of the tender specifications.

Rynek Kolejowy: New cumbers in railway business

- Costs of railway activity are once again to rise. This time the reason is PLN 100 million of compulsory insurance for carriers - that is, the compulsion for each tracks user to buy a policy in case of causing the most expensive train crash on the continent - warns Jakub Majewski from Pro Kolej foundation. While there still lasts a discussion about reducing barriers for entrepreneurship and moving traffic from congested roads to the tracks, we can see raising another adjustment that will deteriorate the competitiveness of rail.