The #BezKitu campaign. Doubts about the construction of the CPK. Politicians talk

Central Communication Port it is to be built by 2027, together with the implementation of the necessary connections to the components of the railway and road network. It is to be a transfer hub between Warsaw and Łódź, which will integrate air, rail and road transport. As part of the project, 37 km west of Warsaw, in the area of ​​approx. ha, it is planned to build the Solidarity Airport, which in the first stage is to be able to handle 40 million passengers a year.

The STH will also include railway investments: a junction in the immediate vicinity of the airport and connections throughout the country, which are to enable travel between Warsaw and the largest Polish cities in no more than 2.5 hours.

The guests of the “#BezKitu Campaign” program were Minister Marcin Horała – government plenipotentiary for the CPK and Maciej Lasek, member of the Civic Coalition, aviation expert.

– Yes, everything indicates that – Marcin Horała replied to the question whether the construction of the CPK would start in 2023. Specifying his answer, Horała stated that it would start “more or less in the summer”. According to the minister, the construction of a high-speed railway tunnel under Łódź is to begin then. In 2027, “flights and certification tests” are to begin at the airport part of the STH, and 2028 is to be the “first fully commercial season” of the airport’s operation.

– There is no environmental decision that will allow construction to start – pointed out Maciej Lasek. The MP from the Civic Coalition also drew attention to the costs associated with such an investment and the sources of its financing. – The question is: what will we build this port for – he added.

Marcin Horała replied that the “airport component” of the STH will cost EUR 8.1 billion. – PLN 40 billion maximum – he added. The Minister clarified that with a maximum of 49 percent. private capital will be involved. When asked about the origin of investors, Horała pointed to the “Far Eastern or European direction”.

Maciej Lasek, MP, raised doubts about whether the CPK is needed in Poland. He pointed out that after the construction of the CTH, the total annual capacity of Polish airports would increase by 3 million passengers. – Without the CPK, 86 million passengers will be served (annually – ed.), and 89 million with the CPK – he said. The MP pointed to the existing airports in Radom or Modlin and Warsaw, which, in his opinion, could be expanded to this level at a lower cost.

Marcin Horała replied that the airport in Warsaw has already reached its “glass ceiling” of capacity, while the airport in Modlin is located in wetlands, which makes it difficult to expand. – These will be trains that will connect all of Poland – added Marcin Horała about the railway part of the STH.

In the second part of the program, the guests were asked questions from representatives of the young generation from two organizations: the Youth Climate Strike and the City is Ours Association. They concerned, among others, the prices of rail tickets and the availability of public transport.