The National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR), together with PKP Polish Railway Lines (PKP PLK), are going to allocate PLN 50 million to carry research and development projects.
In October NCBR and PKP PLK signed a cooperation agreement. It foresees the allocation of PLN 50 million into innovative IT systems, reduction of railway impact on the environment, more efficient maintenance and infrastructure modernisation as well as improvement of safety and comfort of travellers.
The cooperation agreement was signed by Professor Krzysztof Jan Kurzydłowski, the NCBR Director, Andrzej Filip Wojciechowski, President of PKP PLK’s Management Board and Marcin Mochocki, Member of PKP PLK’s Management Board for investment fulfilment.
“Creating a modern transport system on Polish territory is only possible with the use of the latest solutions and technologies. Research and development carried out by Polish scientists and entrepreneurs will help make it happen”, said the Director of the NCBR, Prof. Krzysztof Jan Kurzydłowski.
“We are using Polish technical know-how. There are a great number of gifted and valued engineers at our universities – it’s time their good ideas were implemented on the railways. This is the first time that such a great research programme worth PLN 50 million, dedicated solely to railway infrastructure, is being launched. The solutions worked out in the framework of a joint undertaking between PKP PLK and NCBR will ensure a better passenger service as well as more safe and environmentally-friendly transport. The programme is initiated along with the largest ever investment programme, in which we will have invested PLN 67 billion in the Polish railways by 2023”, said Andrzej Filip Wojciechowski, President of PKP PLK’s Management Board.
The initiative based on open innovation means that the project proposals answering PKP PLK’s needs will be submitted by scientific units, universities, and companies from the railway sector.
“Thanks to research and development projects to be conducted, railway infrastructure will be even more user-friendly for its users and its neighbourhood. Our commitment to the research work will lead to the implementation of the newest technology into every day railway network operation, mitigation of its interference into the natural environment as well as further competition improvement of this transport branch in relation to other means of transport including road transport. The complex activities that are being undertaken in this scope will ensure further reduction of external costs borne by the whole society”, said Marcin Mochocki, Member of PKP PLK’s Management Board for investment fulfilment.
The plans cover subsidies for research and development projects, which will enable us to solve the problems connected with the noise from railway transport. The projects also cover the issues related to a better adaptation of railway stops and stations to passenger needs, as well as the protection of equipment. PKP PLK is likewise willing to obtain the solutions that could increase safety issues in terms of traffic management and optimise railway infrastructure maintenance and upgrading.
The first call will be announced next year. The implementation of the developed solutions is going to be launched in 2017.
(Source: PKP PLK)
