The systematic takeover of disused railway lines is part of the coalition agreement concluded a year ago between Bezpartyjni Samorządowcy and Prawo i Sprawiedliwość. The project began last year. In October 2018, the voivodeship board adopted a resolution expressing its intention to take over sections of railway lines from PKP PLK SA. These actions were justified by the progressing degradation of some lines and the need to secure transport corridors important for the Lower Silesian Voivodeship’s transport network.

The first line, Bielawa–Dzierżoniów, taken over at the end of 2018, was quickly and efficiently revitalized by the self-government and will be made available to passengers this December, with the new timetable. This will be a historic moment for the residents of Bielawa, because after almost 40 years they will once again be able to travel directly by rail to the capital of Lower Silesia.

− This is the first line that we have brought back to life thanks to the coalition agreement between Bezpartyjni Samorządowcy and Prawo i Sprawiedliwość. Over the course of this year, we have taken over a total of six sections, and preparations for their inventory are now under way. Ultimately, we will expand Lower Silesia’s rail services. These are the residents’ expectations, and we will meet them – says Marshal Cezary Przybylski.

The takeover and launch of additional routes will be of enormous importance for the development of tourism in the region. Thanks to the takeover of so many lines, rail connections will serve, among others, four Lower Silesian health resorts (Świeradów-Zdrój, Lądek-Zdrój, Szczawno-Zdrój and Przerzeczyn-Zdrój), Karkonoski National Park and Góry Stołowe National Park. Access will also become easier to remarkable historic sites, including palaces listed as monuments of history—nine sites in the Valley of Palaces and Gardens of the Jelenia Góra Valley. These changes will certainly encourage even more tourists to visit Lower Silesia.

− In total, this will be approximately 340 km of railway routes that can become part of Lower Silesia’s transport system. Residents will gain new connections to work, school and leisure destinations, while tourists will have easier access to many attractions in our region – says Deputy Marshal Grzegorz Macko.

The newly acquired lines will complement the network currently operating regional services. These are local lines serving many Lower Silesian towns that today have no railway service at all. They may be used by freight carriers, especially producers of aggregate, as well as by tourists. More than 225,000 residents of Lower Silesia living in four counties—kamiennogórski, lwówecki, górowski and złotoryjski—will gain easier connections with the capital of Lower Silesia.

– During today’s regional assembly session, we plan to guarantee funding for preparing documentation for the lines we are discussing today – says Patryk Wild, a Lower Silesian regional councillor.

According to the plans, all routes will be transferred by PKP to the voivodeship self-government by mid-2020. Under the management of the Dolnośląska Służba Dróg i Kolei we Wrocławiu (a unit subordinate to the voivodeship self-government), they will be consistently revitalized and put into service. They constitute an important element of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship’s transport network, both for passenger and freight services.

– In line with the assumptions of the government’s Kolej Plus program, by transferring sections of railway lines to the voivodeship self-government, we are counteracting transport exclusion in many towns. In Lower Silesia, thanks to cooperation with the voivodeship self-government, we have already managed to transfer approximately 93 km of railway lines, and further transfers are planned. Our joint efforts are aimed at restoring rail travel for passengers in many Lower Silesian towns, which will certainly contribute to the development of the entire voivodeship – says Krzysztof Golubiewski, a member of the management board of PKP S.A.

– These are transport routes of strategic importance to the region. Through consistent work, we will limit the degradation of the lines and transport exclusion, including in the Wałbrzych constituency, which is particularly close to me – concludes Michał Dworczyk, head of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister.

New lines taken over by the Lower Silesian Voivodeship Self-Government:

  • Jerzmanice Zdrój – Lwówek Śląski
  • Wałbrzych Szczawienko – Boguszów-Gorce
  • Kobierzyce – Piława Górna
  • Chojnów – Rokitki
  • Srebrna Góra – Bielawa Zachodnia
  • Kondratowice – Łagiewniki.