The European Investment Bank lends EUR 238m for the construction of the central section of Warsaw’s new metro new line

Warsaw/Luxembourg, 10-4-2013 — /europawire.eu/ — The European Investment Bank (EIB) is lending PLN 1 billion (some EUR 238 million) for the construction of the central section of Warsaw’s new metro new line, providing additional EIB support for the development of sustainable public transport in one of the most congested cities in Europe. Last year, the EIB granted a loan for the purchase of modern and energy-efficient rolling stock for the Warsaw metro.

The central section under construction is located in the city centre and is 6.7 km long. It includes seven stations plus a 400m-long connecting tunnel between the new and the old metro lines. As part of this loan agreement, the EIB is also supporting the expansion of the existing Kabaty metro depot to cater for the additional rolling stock that will be necessary to operate the new line. The installation of a train traffic control system, telecommunication and fare collection systems are also included in the project, whose implementation has already begun and is expected to be completed by 2014/2015.

The EIB strongly promotes the development of sustainable cities. The support for the Warsaw metro will improve the quality of public transport service in terms of speed, comfort and reliability. Expected time savings will be substantial due to the significant difference in speed between the metro and other transport modes like tram, bus and car that all make use of the congested street network in Warsaw’s city centre. The project will consequently increase the attractiveness of public transport in the urban area.

This project is in line with the EIB’s lending objectives in the field of environmental sustainability as it will reduce air and noise pollution from transport in the long run, thanks to the modal shift from cars to metro that is expected to result from the project. The estimated reduction of CO2emissions is some 42 000 tonnes per year.

Besides the environmental benefits, this EIB-supported project will also trigger growth in jobs, as the planned increase in metro operations will require additional drivers, maintenance workers and office staff.

Note to the editor:

The EIB is the long-term lending institution of the European Union owned by its Member States. It makes long-term finance available for sound investment in order to contribute towards EU policy goals.

Press contact:

Alicja Chytla, a.chytla@eib.org, tel.: +352-4379-88233

EIB’s website www.eib.org/press – Press office: +352 4379 21000 – press@eib.org