EIB backs Polish road projects

The extension of the A1 motorway in Poland, along with smaller infrastructure projects at Lublin in the south east of the country, are being supported by finance from the European Investment Bank (EIB).

The two loans are worth € 225 million and € 125 million.

EIB president Philippe Maystadt, who signed the two loans ahead of the opening of the EIB Regional Forum in Warsaw, Poland, said, "The projects signed today are in line with the EIB's priority of helping to strengthen Poland's competitiveness and accelerate the country's economic development. The new motorway will extend the crucial TEN (trans-European network) axis, improving connections between Gdansk and Silesia.

"In addition, EIB funds will serve to improve the quality of life in Lublin, a major city in south-east Poland".

The loan of € 225 million will finance the construction of the Stryków to Tuszyn motorway section, which is the first 40 km stretch of the 180 km section of A1 motorway between Stryków (on the junction with the A2 Berlin to Warsaw highway) and Pyrzowice (close to Katowice) and the junction of the A4 highway connecting the important industrial areas of Silesia with Germany and Ukraine.

The project comprises a combination of new-build sections and upgrades of existing road. The A1 motorway is part of the priority trans-European network linking the Baltic Sea port of Gdansk with Brno/Bratislava and Vienna along the south trans-European corridor (E75).

The loan of € 125 million will support ten sub-projects focused on upgrading municipal roads, improving public transport and renovating cultural heritage in line with the priorities of the City of Lublin's investment plan for the period 2009 to 2015.

The project aims to improve the pavement and design of existing roads, and constructing new city bypasses. EIB funds will help in the area of public transport to modernise the city's trolleybus fleet and restore important cultural heritage artefacts to support the development of tourism in the city.

Since Poland joined the EU, EIB loan commitments in the country have reached some € 21 billion. In 2010 alone, new EIB lending activity in Poland is expected to have amounted to some € 5.3 billion.

EIB said the rehabilitation and extension of trans-European infrastructure, notably transport corridors, was crucial for the successful development of Poland within the EU single market. It said investment in infrastructure was important for removing bottlenecks and barriers to the efficient movement of people and goods, enhancing safety and safeguarding the environment.

It said this was why it was co-financing the upgrading and extension of the Polish transport network, including projects implemented and operated in public-private partnerships (PPPs). The EIB is co-financing sections of the A1, A2, A4 and A6 motorways and major national roads along Pan-European Corridors II, III and VI in Poland.