Description
The project consists of 2 components: 1. Public scrutiny at the level of strategy and organisation. National and regional public institutions responsible for transport strategies (sector strategies, transport plans, investment plans) and strategy implementation, which includes public transport management. The tools we are going to use will include quality audit and analytical reports which will be posted online. If we spot irregularities we will make interventions. 2. Public scrutiny at the level of investment projects. Public participation in road and railway projects. The tool we are going to use is support for public participation by setting up a website to track progress (including timing) of transport infrastructure projects in 16 provinces, to post project-related documents obtained from government office, including their own reviews and draft position posted one week before the deadline for comments. In result we expect the increase in share of public transport in the public expenditures for transport and establishing the civilised form of public consultations in this area.
Summary of project results
The need for the project resulted from numerous irregularities in (mainly railway) transport operation in Poland, as well as the discrimination of public transport - e.g. in financing (in 2009 spending on only national roads was seven times higher than on all railway lines) which leads to a situation where Poland has one of the highest in Europe share of road transport in travelling (95%). The second reason was very low participation of the society in decision processes concerning planned transport investments - low quality of social consultations and poor access to information on planned investments. The aim of the project was to enhance the quality and the role of public transport. Another aim was to increase the influence of citizens on transport investments. 44 opinions to documents regulating transport issues were prepared and first posted on the web page as samples, and then sent to relevant authorities, as well as 13 problem reports and 59 articles. To gain influence on investments, a special Internet service was launched to monitor legal procedures for individual investments by informing on posted announcements, deadlines for presenting comments or appealing. The service presented investment documentation obtained from investors and public offices, and in selected cases also analyses and official letter samples were published. The monitoring covered 307 investments, resulting in 100 analyses - draft letters filed in the name of the Foundation. In 3 cases, specific results were achieved, e.g. additional crossings for animals. To achieve a systemic improvement in social participation, a bulletin was published to promote good practices, and together with the operator of railway lines pilot social consultations of selected investments were led. The gathered experiences can help in defining standards of consultations for all future investments. Real changes were achieved concerning 25 documents, leading to amendments in several transport plans, refining RPOs and one regulation. The biggest achievement of the project was successful lobbying for increasing financial resources for railways in the Regional Operational Programmes for 2014-2020 for 10 voivodeships - in total by approx. 1.2 bln PLN, i.e the amount equal to what is envisaged for railways in the program Eastern Poland. The partner monitored investments in Central Poland.
Summary of bilateral results