More comfortably and efficiently through Gliwice! Mobile Metropolis: four new transport hubs thanks to the European Funds

• Łabędy, Brzezinka, Kopernika Estate and the vicinity of Pre-Zero Arena Gliwice – those are the places, where soon new, modern transfer hubs will be constructed, facilitating communication within the city.
• The city of Gliwice and the Centre for EU Transport Projects have just signed four co-financing agreements for implementation of transport investments with the support from the European Funds.
• Overall value of the investments exceeds PLN 90 million. Now, nearly PLN 61 million of that amount is co-financed from the European Funds for Infrastructure, Climate and Environment 2021–2027 programme.

Thanks to the new hubs, transfers between different bus lines, as well as from buses to trains, will become more convenient. What’s more – car and bike owners will gain better access to public transport, while leaving their vehicles at the edge of the city centre. For Gliwice, it is a real chance to reduce car traffic in the city centre, and for the residents – to reach their destination faster and more efficiently.

– Transfer hubs are some of the most effective investments when it comes to urban mobility, – explains Joanna Lech, Director of CEUTP. – We’re glad that Gliwice effectively takes up the challenges related to city congestion and climate change. We’re talking about investments that not only connect people, but also improve comfort of daily travels, reduce traffic jams, noise pollution, and CO2 emissions. Those aren’t just some points on a map – this is a real revolution in city’s communication!

Where will the new hubs be located?

Three investments will be realised in the northern part of the city. Two of them in the area of railway line leading from one side to the centre of Gliwice, and from the other side: towards Kędzierzyn-Koźle and Opole. The biggest undertaking will be the construction of the Gliwice-Łabędy hub. It will be located right next to the Łabędy railway station, which is currently under modernisation by PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe. An investment worth PLN 47.3 million (co-financing amount: PLN 32 million) will ensure full integration of railway transport with public buses. New P&R (Park and Ride) and B&R (Bike and Ride) parking spaces will also appear, allowing to reach the stop via car or bike, and conveniently transfer onto a train or public bus.

A new hub will also be constructed at the Kopernika Estate. Near the flyover along Jana Heweliusza Street, by 2028, a new railway stop – Gliwice Kopernik – will be built. But before that, a transfer hub with a bus stop, parking spaces and new pedestrian-cyclist paths will be created nearby. We now know that the project worth over PLN 15 million will be co-financed from the European Funds in the amount of PLN 9.5 million.

The Brzezinka hub will be located in place of the current bus stop on Kozielska Street. The location will receive new pavement, and bus drivers will gain additional social facilities. New drainage and lighting systems will also be introduced, and pedestrians will be able to comfortably reach the bus with additional sidewalks. Cyclists will also benefit from the changes: a new bike shed and route will be created, connecting to the existing path leading towards the city centre. The cost of the investment is slightly over PLN 11 million, of which PLN 7.7 million comes from co-financing under the freshly signed agreements.

Last of the projects – the Gliwice-Arena hub (value: PLN 16.8 million, co-financing: PLN 11.6 million) will connect buses going through Pszczyńska and Kujawska streets with pedestrian paths in the area of the “New Gliwice” Business and Education Center. Current plans assume the expansion of cycling infrastructure here – it involves, among others, the creation of new bike routes and bike sheds. Car owners will benefit from additional parking spaces as well, allowing them to conveniently transfer to public transport.

– Gliwice focuses on modern, comfortable, and eco-friendly transport. Thanks to the support from the European Funds, we can introduce solutions that realistically improve daily travel, not only for the city residents, but also people from the region who visit Gliwice. New transfer hubs will facilitate mobility within the city, combine various modes of transport, as well as increase attractiveness of public communication. Those investments combine comfort, environmental care, and a modern image of Gliwice, – states the President of the City of Gliwice, Katarzyna Kuczyńska-Budka.

Comfort, ecology, accessibility

The new transfer hubs will constitute a new quality in public space. The projects include, among others, installation of ticket machines powered by solar energy, comfortable benches, modern information boards displaying bus departure times, as well as roofed bike sheds. The new cycling infrastructure will connect with already existing stations of the metropolitan Metrorower bicycle system – the largest urban bike system in Poland. Particular attention was also given to accessibility: the entire infrastructure will be adapted to the needs of people with limited mobility. For example, the devices will be equipped with markings in Braille. More greenery will also appear around the new structures – new trees and shrubs will be planted. Transfer hubs are to encourage people to change from cars to public transport or bikes. This will improve communication accessibility of the entire districts and increase travel comfort, while also making collective transport more competitive. As a result – investments will contribute to the reduction of traffic jams, increase in air quality, and improvement of road safety.

Those investments are a part of the Mobile Metropolis initiative, under which – in the entire Upper Silesian-Dąbrowa Basin Metropolis – various solutions are being developed to integrate transport: i.e., facilitate travel by public communication and promote sustainable modes of transportation. Only recently, co-financing agreements have been signed for the construction of transfer hubs in Katowice (Św. Jana Hub) and Pyskowice (near the railway station) as well.

Signing of another four co-financing agreements is not only an important step in Gliwice’s growth, but also another example showing that the European Funds for Infrastructure, Climate and Environment 2021–2027 programme truly supports Polish local governments in the implementation of investments improving the quality of life of their residents.