Resource information
This Policy Note addresses strategic
issues facing Poland s transport sector. Despite recent
growth and integration within the European Union (EU), the
overall quality and efficiency of transport infrastructure
and services is still poor. About 40 percent of the national
roads network, which carries the largest volume of people
and goods among all transport modes, is in poor or
unsatisfactory condition. The government and
freight-logistics industry recognize the railway
sector's low efficiency but not much has been achieved
since the 2001 restructuring that separated the
infrastructure company and operators. Low staff productivity
- more than 40,000 employees managing 17,000 km of track -
and almost no investment in signaling and IT systems
modernization are still major constraints with important
long-term consequences, affecting current railway
performance. The scope of the Note is on land transport,
mainly on national roads and railways with a priority on
strategic issues requiring immediate actions. The Note
addresses issues specific to single modes and those
requiring policy-making coordination. The current chapter
sets the study context and helps to understand better the
drivers for the current state of the sector and policy
orientation. This chapter explains the note s focus and its
organization. Chapter 2 reviews the national road network
with a focus on infrastructure efficiency and
sustainability. Chapter 3 covers the railway sector with an
emphasis on the various entities of the PKP Group and how
the sector competes with roads. Chapter 4 addresses road
safety in Poland with the human and economic costs of
current situation. Chapter 5 looks at land transport
emissions and derives most of its conclusions from a recent
study on GHG emissions in Poland s transport sector. Chapter
6 reviews the current policy path and offers three
alternative policy options. The direct and indirect impact
of implementing each policy options is assessed and compared
to the current situation with a focus on medium-term (2020) sustainability.
