The Influence of Public Transport Acts in 2019 in Poland on Conflicts Concerning the Shape of the Public Transport Network

Abstract

In 2019, the Polish Government introduced a new legislation on public transport. The main objective of these laws is to determine a new division of responsibilities within the public administration system for the planning, implementation and financing of public transport. These new regulations may significantly affect the scope of responsibilities and competencies of transport organizers, in particular regarding the creation of transport plans and funding mechanisms. As a result of maintaining an under-financed, unsustainable transport system based solely on commercial public transport for more than two decades, Poland has experienced a collapse of the public transport system in remote areas. The absence of complex policies in the field of public transport has caused millions of people to suffer from transport exclusion, especially in settlements located outside the main transport routes. This is resulting in disputes over the structure of the regional transport network. The aim of the research paper is to identify potential axes of conflicts between transport organizers, government and local governments subsidizing co-financed transport services, passengers and companies providing public and commercial passenger transport.