In Bolesławiec, representatives of the Marshal’s Office, DSDiK and local governments discussed signing the first agreement under which bicycle paths would be built as part of the “Lower Silesian Cycle Route.” The plan involves creating a 2,000-kilometre cycle route running through the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. The aim is to increase the share of bicycle traffic in transport across the voivodeship through: developing the bicycle transport system, improving safety and increasing social acceptance of bicycle transport, as well as managing the development of the bicycle transport system.
The Marshal’s Office secured 15 million złoty for this purpose. It can finance 50% of municipalities’ documentation costs. Despite this, local-government officials had many questions and concerns. The problem is depleted municipal budgets.
The meeting in Bolesławiec concerned the Bóbr Valley Bicycle Route, which is ultimately to be 150 kilometres long and include 12 municipalities. The route would run through Okrzeszyna, Kamienna Góra, Jelenia Góra, Wleń, Lwówek, Bolesławiec and Kozłów. Within Bolesławiec Municipality and the city, the route would be 25 kilometres long. Part of this route already exists; the aim is to connect it into one coherent and safe road.
“As the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, we are able to take on the burden of preparing project documentation in your areas,” said Tymoteusz Myrda to the local-government officials gathered at the meeting. “And co-finance the preparation of the project documentation at 50% of the costs incurred. Our support is necessary, hence our proposal, which we have been presenting for some time to the municipalities located along the Lower Silesian Cycle Route,” he said.
Why this openness toward municipalities?
“We want to speed up and move the project forward because on December 5, 2022, the European Commission approved a new fund for Lower Silesia for 2021–2027,” the deputy marshal explained. “There is money there for building bicycle roads for purposes related to tourism and ecology. We would like the documentation to be issued with construction permits next year, so that we can obtain EU funds to implement this project. We would like to coordinate work on the Cycle Route and ensure that the municipal projects are created at the same time. So that the entire route is complete, because then, as part of the competition, you could obtain EU funds,” Myrda added.
Why would municipalities be the beneficiaries of EU grants?
“The own contribution to the contribution from the state budget—only external beneficiaries will be able to obtain most of this contribution. A local government will be able to use only up to 30% from the state budget for its own contribution. And we would like you to be the beneficiaries of that 70%, which would reduce the investment’s own contribution through budget funds,” Deputy Marshal Myrda told the local-government officials.
It is not known how much money will be involved; negotiations with the Ministry of Finance are ongoing, and decisions may not be made until the third quarter of this year. Lower Silesia is a region in transition, and our co-financing of projects no longer amounts to 15%, but to 30% of the own contribution.
“We have submitted a proposal to the Ministry to reduce this unfavourable financial situation for our region. We are asking for state contributions to be at a higher level. We hope that the Ministry’s decision will be favourable to us,” Myrda added.
The local-government officials gathered at the meeting, including Bolesławiec Deputy Mayor Iwona Mandżuk-Dudek and Mayor Andrzej Dutkowski, were concerned about the costs that would have to be covered from their tight budgets.
“Please believe me, when we started, 100% was the responsibility of the local government,” Marshal Cezary Przybylski reassured the local-government officials. “For each of you, these tens of thousands are a major problem. We had to find 15 million. We are aware that we will have to contribute a few more pennies if you join the project,” the marshal explained.
The local-government officials agreed to make a decision within a month, and at the next meeting the amounts to be allocated to individual municipalities will be announced.