Assessment of Inland Passenger Water Navigation in Bydgoszcz-Torun Functional Area and its Development Concept

Abstract

The article presents a brief analysis of functioning and development of passenger inland navigation in the functional area of Bydgoszcz and Toruń cities, as one of possible forms of urban ecological recreation. These forms are successfully used in some towns of Western Europe and are additional tourist attractions for visitors and also for the city residents. They offer another form of transport to be used by passengers who travel around the city. The functional area of the analyse towns is considered to be a Metropolitan Area of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodship and is situated in the central part of Poland. The authors have made a profound analysis of strategic and planning documents for the country and for the analyse area in terms of the passenger water transport development directions. Bydgoszcz-Toruń Functional Area (B-TOF) is characterized by a unique, on a global scale, connection of two water trails, that is, E-40 and E-70 making up the so called Bydgoszcz Water Node which increases tourist attractiveness of the area. Toruń also plays a very important role in the region and is its main tourist attraction. Its historical medieval urban area was entered in 1997 into a List of World Cultural Heritage of UNESCO. Having in mind the results of analysis of the current water passenger transport potential within BTOF it has been found to be worth developing. Extension of water connection in Bydgoszcz has been proposed as well as launching a water tram connection in Toruń. Moreover, a concept of water ways development on the remaining territory of the B-TOF has been presented. The planned water connections require determination of localizations for new water marinas. These localizations depend on the plans of local authorities as well as the infrastructure and territorial conditionings. All new localizations have been precisely characterized in terms of their construction, modernization and maintenance. It was also necessary to make appropriate prognoses of potential passenger currents. The prognoses have been performed for three separate social-economic development scenarios: optimistic, stable and regressive within three timescales, that is, 2020, 2025 and 2030. For this purpose, a simulation transport model, developed by the workers of the Department of Road Engineering and Transport, has been used. The article includes yearly costs of functioning and maintenance of Bydgoszcz and Toruń Water Tram and costs of the planned investments. Also the costs of tourist rest areas construction and maintenance have been calculated. Implementation of the proposed solutions will involve significant financial means. However, this kind of investments do not have to be profitable as they are meant to improve the tourist offer of Bydgoszcz-Toruń Metropolitan Area. They are supposed to improve the image of these towns in terms of ecology, sustainable forms of transport and attractive way of spending leisure time by citizens and visitors. It needs to be mentioned that recently the interest in water transport means has been systematically rising which can contribute to promotion of this ecological form of travel and boost its development.