Mazowsze

6th November 2009

Warsaw is the most successful city in Poland at attracting money from the European Union, with investment projects topping a massive PLN 8 bln since membership began in 2004, amounting to as much as PLN 4,700 for each resident of the city. “Thanks to EU funding, we’ve been able to stave off the economic slowdown,” said President Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz. The two largest investments are the building of the second underground line, receiving PLN 3 bln, and works on sewage and water treatment receiving over PLN 2 bln. Large funds have also been allocated for transport and infrastructure projects, such as the North Bridge and there have also been a host of smaller projects aimed at young people or those threatened with social exclusion.

We speak Ingleesh

The Managing Director of Mazowiecki Railways has outlined his plans for the regional service, including English lessons for ticket sellers and conductors. The new director, Jakub Majewski, explained, “In three years Warsaw will be hosting matches during Euro 2012 and our staff members must be able to communicate with passengers, including those from abroad.” He also announced the introduction of regional express trains, for example operating between the capital and Radom, increased monitoring of stations and trains for better passenger security and an overhauling of the timetable. “The railways are very insular and resistant to change. The timetables have changed little over the last twenty years. In the 80s regional trains brought passengers to work for 6am. Now passengers travel to work for 9 or 10am, but the majority of trains still get to the capital at 6.30. If we want people to get out of their cars and on to the trains, we have to meet their needs,” he added.

Big-brother-on-Vistula

A new system of cameras has been installed on three of Warsaw’s bridges across the Wisla river as part of the city’s investment in safety and security. Police showed off the new equipment, installed at a cost of PLN 480,000, to reporters this week. Their main job is to observe river traffic and assist in rescue operations, to which end police staged a canoeing accident, picked up by the monitors. But the cameras are highly mobile and are also able to pick up all sorts of nefarious goings-on along the river banks, in particular those who like to drink a beer or two in the open air. At the unveiling President Gronkiewicz-Waltz praised the level of security enjoyed by Warsaw’s residents, pointing to figures which indicate that the city has a crime rate of 2,541 crimes per 100,000 of population, whereas Gdansk has figures of 5,858, K ...