Warsaw develops its metro line extension, clean bus fleet and a car-sharing scheme

Warsaw is stepping up the pace of the improvements in its sustainable urban transport services, as it works on several issues simultaneously.

About a week ago, the last tender for the construction of the second metro line was announced, which will complete the line between the future “Księcia Janusza” and “Lazurowa” stations on the western extension of the system. This tender is the final part of the major investments and construction of Warsaw’s metro system, which currently sees construction extending the existing lines to both the west and east of the city centre. In addition, bids for the most westerly stations are currently being analysed and the bids for the completion of the eastern section have been closed since the end of March. The second line is planned to be finished by 2023, including a depot with service halls, warehouses and technical facilities at the western end of the line that will cover an area of 26 hectares.

Further investments in public transport are about to come: The Municipal Bus Company MZA has announced a successful tender for 50 articulated and 30 twelve-metre compressed natural gas-powered buses. Two bids will be delivered by Solaris, which amounted to a value of PLN 140 Mio (EUR 33 Mio), and the rest by MAN, which cost PLN 133 Mio (EUR 31.4 Mio). It is the biggest investment in MZA's history in low emission busses. The first buses will be produced by spring 2019. Additionally, MZA has launched a tender for the delivery of the fuel – compressed natural gas – for a time frame of 10 years alongside the construction of the refuelling infrastructure.

According to Warsaw City Hall, about 1 billion passengers are using public transport in the city each year, half of them are using buses.

Warsaw has also decided to launch a car sharing system, which will be operated through a concession, thus avoiding any costs on the city’s side. The city is currently analysing an offer from a private company based on the use of 300 hybrid cars and 20 delivery vehicles. If the city decides to contract the company, the service will be put in place within 60 days. The rates for the service will start at PLN 0.5 per minute and kilometre and differ by vehicle type and use time. For example, the maximum amount for a long period of use, such as overnight, will be PLN 100. The service will work by an app, website or telephone booking and will be a free-floating-sharing system, thus allowing users to park the car in the city's central area, but also to use it outside of this area. With the car sharing service, Warsaw aims to influence its high car ownership rate of 600 vehicles / 1000 inhabitants, which results in air pollution as a result of the average age of the privately-owned cars, and traffic jams, as well as a high demand for parking compared to the spaces available. 

Photo: courtesy of “Shutterstock, please add”

Story first published by “Eurobuild Central & Eastern Europe” on 9th of of April 2018; “Radio Poland” on 5th of April 2018 and “Zarząd Dróg Miejskich” 26th of March 2018.

Links to original stories:

Metro: http://english.eurobuildcee.com/?page=news&id=24325

CNG busses: http://www.thenews.pl/1/12/Artykul/357274,Warsaw-plans-major-investment-in-CNGpowered-buses

Car-sharing: https://zdm.waw.pl/aktualnosci/miejski-carsharing-nabiera-tempa