Świebodzki Station is expected to serve mainly urban railway in Wroclaw. Trains to Jaworzyna and Wałbrzych as well as to Jelenia Góra and Środa Śląska would also be able to depart from the station. "As the role of the railway in the province is on the rise and both Wroclaw Main Station and the three-rail fly-over to Grabiszyn are reaching its capacity, we are now planning to divert selected local trains to Wroclaw Świebodzki Station," says Agnieszka Zakęś, Deputy Head at the Department of Infrastructure at the Marshal's Office of the Lower Silesia Province.
New railway tracks and platforms
However, addiitional funding is necessary for the project to complete and restore railway traffic to Wroclaw Świebodzki. It is estimated that 130 million PLN is needed to modernise the infrastructure. The money would be used to construct additional railway tracks, overhead lines and platforms for passengers. At the same time, PKP S.A. wish to convert the station into commercial facilities. However, they are seeking investors that will retain the former character of the station. It is important that the building will be able to serve both railway and commercial purposes.
"The most important thing is that new platforms should be kept close to the railway building and bus stops, and not relocated somewhere far from them. Additionally, at peak times, trains must depart every half an hour to remain attractive to their users," says Zbigniew Komar, Deputy Head at the Department of the Economy and Infrastructure at the Municipal Office in Wroclaw.
Funding
All investments into infrastructure must be completed by 2017. The most important thing is to secure funding. One idea is to obtain a subsidy from the EU Programme "Infrastructure and the Environment". Local authorities are now trying to obtain a subsidy to modernise the route to Jelenia Góra . If they succeed, the money may also be used to restore Wroclaw Świebodzki. The Regional Operational Programme is yet another possibility. Nothing has been confirmed as yet. The good news, however, is that all parties are willing to make a concerted effort to restore railway traffic to the station, and they have announced to meet for another round of talks to discuss the issue.
Janusz Krzeszowski
