Suburban Rail in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship as a Factor Stimulating the Development in the Region

Abstract

Over the last few years, there has been a clear increase in interest in rail transport among local authorities, especially the agglomeration rail. A particular emphasis in this respect is being observed in large agglomerations and the surrounding suburban areas, where transport problems are becoming increasingly frequent. The fact that the number of passengers of agglomeration and regional railways in Poland is growing gives a positive overtone to the issue in question. The project of creating a system of Suburban Rail in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship is to significantly affect the development of the region. A reduction in commute time, the improvement of the transport offer and the increase in the accessibility to rail transport in Rzeszów area and thus the improvement of mobility of the society are some of the advantages of the investment. The project will encompass municipalities located within railway lines running from Dębica to Przeworsk and from Kolbuszowa to Strzyżów. The aim of the article is to present general assumptions of the project and to estimate the benefits resulting from the project for the region and its inhabitants. The research methodology and data sources consist mainly of an analysis of the documents concerning the Feasibility Study for the project The Construction of Suburban Rail obtained from the Marshal's Office in Rzeszów, with particular emphasis on Stage II - A marketing analysis of investment variants and Stage III – A technical analysis of all investment variants of the project together with cost estimation. The basis of the study also included research of the subject literature and interviews with the people responsible for project implementation. Keywords: Suburban Rail; regional development; railway transport; Podkarpackie voivodeship