Polish municipalities to invest in trams

The Polish Ministry of Infrastructure and development has confirmed government plans to focus on trams as the main form of commuting in cities, Gazeta Wyborcza reports. Till 2022 168 km of trolley roads are going to be modernized or built. Municipalities will buy over 600 new cars, including hybrid and electric buses.  The number of commuters using public transportation is predicted to increase by 35%. The European Union aims to increase the percentage of citizens using public transportation. European funds can finance as much as 85% of the planned investment. During years 2007-2013 Poland have already received PLN 5.3 billion for the development of the cities infrastructure. Main cities, such as Warsaw (PLN 2.2 billion), Toruń, Gdańsk, Kraków, Poznań and Wrocław plan to invest in public transportation more than they did in the past. Trolley investments are expected to have a positive impact on the national tram producers and infrastructure developers, especially PESA from Bydgoszcz and ZUE from Kraków.