Warsaw

Warsaw is a city with 1,7 mln inhabitants, 0,8 mln cars and 1,0 mln bikes. Most of trips are made by public transport (68%) and private cars (30%), only 0,6%-2,0% by bike. Bicycles are perceived as means of recreation, not transport.

Bicycles

The network of bicycle facilities is „rather limited”. Many of bicycle lanes are completely useless due to poor quality (tight curves, uneven surface etc.). Absurd bicycle tracks appear in the middle of nowhere and do not make up any coherent routes. It is a common practise to dismantle bicycle paths while conducting road works. The most popular and the longest bicycle path in Warsaw running along the Vistula river was partially destroyed during a tunnel construction.

Although the city authorities persistently ignore the cycles’ growing popularity and the related transport improvement possibilities, Warsaw inhabitants are keen on cycling. According to a cycle traffic measurement conducted in May and in June 2002 by „Zielone Mazowsze” association on selected points in Warsaw and the vicinity, the number of cyclists has increased fivefold in comparison with 1998 measurement results! At the same time, the length of cycle paths in Warsaw has increased by 50% only.

Road investments

The main reason cited by the city authorities why bicycle infrastructure is not being developed or the European Car Free Day was not organized in Warsaw in 2003 was budgetary constraints. However, the city of Warsaw spent 800 million zlotys (200 million Euros) on the construction of Siekierkowska Highway. Despite being declared illegal by the Supreme Administrational Court, the Highway was opened to car traffic with great fanfares exactly on… September the 22nd 2003, that is the European Car Free Day. All major Polish politicians: the President of Poland, the Prime Minister, Mayor of Warsaw, Members of Parliament as well as the Primate of Poland (the head of the Catholic Church) attended the opening ceremony. When asked by a journalist about the highway legality, the Prime Minister pointed to the presence of Church dignitaries, smiled and replied: „I hope we will be granted absolution”. This was the specific Polish „contribution” to the European Car Free Day.

Another brilliant example of Warsaw absurd „investment” is the 800 meters long road tunnel (the longest road tunnel in Poland) that was build along, not across the Vistula river. The city officials decided to cover up part of the existing expressway along the Vistula bank on the spot of where there are no junctions or built-up area, simply under the grass and trees, which were cut down. At the same time hundreds of thousands of Warsaw residents are directly exposed to exhaust fumes and noise and nothing is being done to protect their health. Former mayor of Warsaw, Wojciech Kozak has failed to provide a reasonable explanation for such „innovative” investment. Unfortunately – this tunnel that was to be opened 6 months ago is still not in operation, due to major technical problems.

Public transport

Although nearly two thirds of population use public transport for their daily commute, the authorities until recently regarded public transport as an expense, not the important factor influencing the quality of Warsaw citizens� life.

The public transport network consists of trams, buses and one underground line (the last trolleybus line was dismantled a few years ago being „too expensive” to maintain). Although the underground is used by only 10% of citizens, it receives 90% of money going to the public transport infrastructure. The authorities have been recently trying to improve the state of ailing infrastructure by investing in new buses and (to lesser extent) trams. However, the effects are rather limited since separate bus lanes are very rare, the drivers do not pay much attention to them and the Police do not take action to make the drivers respect the law. The traffic control system is still a science fiction. As a result buses are notoriously blocked by traffic jams and trams get stuck at every crossing. Public transport priority is an issue that has long been debated but never fulfilled.

The railway is not integrated into the Warsaw transport system. It is worth noticing that Warsaw has an extensive network of railways which could be the main means of transport in many parts of Warsaw, similar to S-Bahn in Berlin. Unfortunately, the authorities did not regard the railway as a viable means of transport and only one year ago (after years of NGO lobbying) common ticket for railway and public transport was introduced. The Green Federation has proposed a detailed plan to integrate railways into Warsaw public transport system. However, the real potential of railways is still underestimated.

Possible solution is simple and within the financial possibilities of Warsaw: suitable action plans have been devised but they mainly rest on paper. Railway integration plan has only partially been implemented. The city-wide bicycle paths system has not been put into operation. Priority to buses and trams, including separate lanes, has been highlighted but never fulfilled.

What Warsaw needs is real action, not further debates and more promises.