On track for SOPT funding
The Ministry of Transport and Construction has announced its prime projects that will receive funds from the Sectoral Operational Programme - Transport (SOPT). Train lines between Warsaw and Łód and Skierniewice and Łód Widzew and the Warsaw Metro were listed as the most significant.
"A faster journey and greater comfort - these are the advantages of redeveloping the railway tracks between Warsaw and Łód. The duration of the trip will be reduced from two hours and eight minutes to only an hour and five minutes. This is the most significant investment within the SOPT program and it absorbs the highest amount of EU funds," said Jerzy Polaczek, Minister of Transport and Construction. "The renovation of the railway infrastructure will be followed by introducing new, more comfortable trains that will operate between cities."
Also, about EUR 91 (zł.357) million will be granted for finishing the construction of the first line of the Warsaw subway. Construction near the Bielany district is due to be completed in the first quarter of 2008. According to the Ministry, this investment will also help to begin building the second line of the Metro, which will connect all the capital's train stations and relieve the city's public-transport system. Roughly 385,000 passengers traveled on the Warsaw Metro in 2005, which should rise to over 900,000 in 2007.
By the end of 2006, the Ministry of Transport and Construction plans to allocate around EUR 185 (zł.725) million within SOPT. About EUR 85 (zł.333) million should be refunded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) by the end of 2006.
SOPT is co-funded by the ERDF, which can provide up to 78 percent of funds for investments dedicated to transport development. Compared to previous years, 2006 has seen a significant increase of funding obtained from SOPT. The Ministry stated that by July 17, beneficiaries had submitted applications to SOPT for projects with a total value of over zł.163.2 million. Some zł.33.7 million has already been redistributed, and requests for another zł.129.5 million are currently undergoing verification.
