REGIONAL INFORMATION:
Dolnoslaskie / Poland

Abstract:

Developmenet of vocational field oriented curricula and learning moduls

Our aim: counteract social and spatial segregation
Our target group: special talented pupils (classes 7-10)
Our methodology:

• Develop and test vocational field oriented curricula and learning moduls
• Bring young people together with regional companies

Description

The policy of sustainable traffic development requires offering the inhabitants of Wrocław an attractive public transport network which is a real alternative to private cars. A prerequisite for reaching this target is the greatest possible integration of all forms of local public transport within the city and the urban agglomeration. The organisation of transport is becoming increasingly important particularly due to the changes in land use within the Wrocław agglomeration and the increasing tendency to redeploy residential areas and places of work away from the centre. It is therefore very much in the interests of the city of Wrocław to preserve a large share of local public transport for serving access routes to the municipality and further provides the reason for improving the quality of the service of suburban transport services. Land-use  planning may  lower  trac  volumes through the reduction of transport needs, and it may create better conditions for the use of public  transport through the concentration of areas with housing or service functions along infrastructure axes. The area of Wrocław covers the following districts: Wrocław, Strzelin, Oława, Oleśnica, Milicz, Trzebnica, Wołów, Środa Śląska and the City of Wrocław. The analysis was expanded with three directions: Świdnica, Legnica and Brzeg.

Objective

The strategic activities regarding public transport should be directed towards increasing the volume of travellers on the system and thus reducing motor traffic – in particular in the city centre and on the main access roads. Also, the integration of all systems of local transport is a further target which, as well as providing comfortable access to areas which are congested with traffic, strengthens the connections between the city and its urban agglomeration. On the way to achieving these objectives, the legal and spatial background for the development and integration of the three systems of local public transport (tram, bus, railway) was examined. Among other measures, studies were commissioned on the legal and functional-spatial conditions for the integration of local urban railways.

Activities

On the way to achieving these objectives, the legal and spatial background for the development and integration of the three systems of local public transport (tram, bus, railway) was examined. Among other measures, studies were commissioned on the legal and functional-spatial conditions for the integration of local urban railways. Based on a comprehensive evaluation of  the  rail infrastructure  in  the  Wrocław agglomeration area the line no. 285 was chosen for an in-depth analysis. It connects Wrocław with  Sobótka and Świdnica, and  passenger  rail  service  was abandoned nearly ten years ago. The case study includes a description of the technical status  of  the  infrastructure,   functional-spatial analysis  and  scenarios  for  the  modernisation and  revitalisation of  the  railway  line. A possible standard  for  reconstruction  is  identied,  and sets  of measures are  dened which would  need to be implemented by the dierent  stakeholders involved.

The study is structured as following:

a) Analysis of spatial management of the area,
b) Review of investment plans concerning roads and railways within this area
c) Competitiveness analysis,
d) Current demand analysis,
e) Analysis of population changes.

In order to assess the railway lines situated in the Wrocław metropolitan area analysis was carried out on the basis of ten key criteria. They characterise the area along the line specifying:

a) Population potential,
b) Economic potential/ economic activity,
c) Connection revitalisation impact potential with regard to unemployment
reduction,
d) Accessibility of railway services,
e) Connection rank in the plans of infrastructure provider,
f) Number of existing and potential transfer nodes,
g) Economic potential of station buildings,
h) Reduction of negative environmental impact as a result of revitalisation of
analysed railway connections,
i) Cross-border dimension of the venture,
j) Spatial management.

The population potential of the area along a given railway line was determined to be the criterion of utmost importance. The accessibility of railway services is also a factor of great importance in the context of the present and potential usage of passenger carriages.

Results of the study

The conducted analysis and assessment pointed to three directions that should be taken into consideration while planning the revitalisation of railway lines for the Wrocław metropolitan area: Oleśnica direction (connections to Milicz, Bierutów, Miedzybórz, Syców), Sobótka direction (Świdnica), Oława direction (Brzeg). All these connections are vital from the perspective of the region’s cohesion, as they constitute the connection between medium-size and small towns with the Wrocław metropolis (access to work places, schools, offices), and the metropolis with attractive recreational and leisure areas (servicing the tourist traffic). Every connection has also vital importance for the current or potential needs of the goods carriages.

In case of revitalisation of railway connections it is possible to considerably reduce the negative environmental impact by the creation of attractive alternative to individual car transport travels. It is of great importance and will be particularly noticeable for the connection from Wrocław to Sobótka (Świdnica) running through attractive recreational areas with great natural values (Ślęza Mountain). The revitalisation of this railway connection should allow the limitation of high pressure on the environment caused by intensive car traffic (recommended reduction of passenger car share in travels from the current level of about 90% to below 50%). In the case of Wrocław – Sobótka connection rail services will be provided for shopping centres located at the outskirts of Wrocław, in Bielany Wrocławskie (Bielany Shopping Park). In the case of Wrocław – Sobótka connection it is possible, probably to the greatest extent, to benefit from valuable German experiences in the field of revitalisation of railway connections on the Uznam Island (UBB – Usedomer Baderbahn GmbH rail servicing attractive seaside recreational areas and the Naturpark Insel Usedom protected area).

The highest potential of railway connection revitalisation impact on the reduction of unemployment lies in the connection to Oleśnica. The revitalisation of railway connection is a comprehensive venture covering measures concerning infrastructure (modernisation of the railway line – surface traffic control, etc.), rolling stock (introduction of modern rolling stock adapter to the needs of a given line), creation of attractive carriage offer (short travel time, satisfactory comfort and safety of travelling, client-oriented timetables, spatial, timetable, fare and ticket integration with other means of regional and city collective transport), as well as the surroundings (revitalisation of station buildings and their vicinity, broad promotional campaign for railway connections, etc). That is why the measures for revitalisation of the railway connection should engage not only railway entities (provider of infrastructure, carriers), but also the direct owners of the area through which the railway line is running, that is communal and district self-governments.

At the present stage of revitalisation measures the best results are achieved with the limitation of railway entities interested in the venture (take, for example, the line to Trzebnica). A model revitalisation solution is always the restoration and stimulation of passenger traffic at inactive sections (e.g. the Wrocław – Sobótka line). Measures along lines with existing traffic (the Wrocław – Oleśnica line is serviced by 16 pairs of trains per day) require much more intensive promotional and marketing campaigns.

The basis for revitalisation of recommended railway connections is the necessity of their comprehensive modernisation (including the elimination of numerous existing speed restrictions) that will enable the passenger trains to travel with the following maximum speeds at the entire length of connection:

• Connection to Oleśnica – speed: 120-140 km/h
• Wrocław – Sobótka connection – speed: 80-100 km/h.l)

Due to the currently limited financial and other (e.g. legal) capacity with regard to undertaking effective measures in the area of railway transport by local selfgovernments, it is mostly expected of communal self-governments that would like to join in the revitalisation measures concerning the selected railway connection to provide support and cooperation in the following areas:

• Revitalisation and utilisation of economic potential of station buildings and their vicinity,
• Active promotion of the railway connection (attractive railway connection can also be an element of the commune’s/ district’s promotion),
• Spatial policy conducive to the development of the railway connection and its vicinity.The selection of one railway connection for further in-depth analyses should be conditioned on the interest and willingness for involvement of communes and districts (starosties) which the connection runs through.

In order to determine the potential involvement of territorial self-government units in the venture, it is recommended for the Marshall Office of the Lower Silesia Region to conduct a short cycle of measures addressed to commune and district groups that are related to railway connections recommended for further analyses. It is suggested that these measures cover:

• Informing the self-governments about the project and expectations of the selfgovernments
• Preliminary identification of potential involvement of self-governments – short survey,
• Organisation of 1-2 meetings with self-government representatives (in the form of ‘round table’ discussions or workshops that are to present the 10 standpoint of self-governments on the possibility of their involvement in the venture).

In the final phase of these measures it may be advisable for the self-governments to sign declarations/ letters of intent concerning the willingness to become involved in the project. The broadly-understood revitalisation process should also include the surroundings of the railway line and its relation to other transportation means in order to increase the attractiveness of the railway transport. Revitalisation projects for both groups of regional railway lines (that is those still in operation and the inactive ones) usually provide examples of success. However, one needs to remember that these successes were always founded in comprehensive technical and organisational solutions. These project mostly covered multi directional set of measures, including:

• Reconstruction or modernisation of track infrastructure;
• Reconstruction of stations and stops with their adaptation to perform the role of local integration nodes;
• Diversification of functions of station buildings;
• Construction of new stops in order to increase their accessibility;
• Purchase of modern and cheap-to-maintain rolling stock;
• Creation of attractive carriage offer in terms of both offered accessibility, commercial speed, frequency, and relation to other transportation means.

Revitalisation is closely connected with the regionalisation of railway transport. The process of transferring competences in the area of organisation and financing of passenger carriages in the regions started in the 1990s and is still progressing. It results in better coordination of offers of public carriers operating in the given region, and the general improvement of effectiveness due to the introduction of regulated competition and development of the carriers’ market.

Detailed characteristics of line 285

As a result of analyses conducted in the first part of the study the Wrocław – Sobótka – Świdnica railway line No. 285 was selected for further examination. Apart from previous findings, the arguments for the selection of line No. 285 were:

• Fact thon the line connects Świdnica, a town populated by 60,000 people, with Wrocław (commuting to work places, schools, offices),
• Line connects Wrocław with recreational and leisure areas,
• Goods carriage potential,
• Possible reduction of negative environmental impact,
• Servicing of commercial traffic to Bielany Wrocławskie,
• Possibility of comprehensive revitalisation of the line practically from the beginning.

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