The Polish Federation of Independent Rail Operators (ZNPK) asked the country’s Ministry of Infrastructure for a gradual reduction of Track Access Charges over the next five years. The final goal would be to have them reduced by 50 per cent to increase the competitiveness of rail freight.

According to ZNPK’s head Michał Litwin, the Polish rail freight industry spends over 230 million every year (1 billion PLN) for track access charges. Litwin’s idea would be to reduce TACs by 10 per cent yearly, reaching a 50 per cent reduction in five years. Currently, these costs represent a significant burden for the Polish rail freight sector. In an interview with Polish media Newseria Biznes, Litwin pointed out that 100 per cent of the railway network is subject to TACs, while for the road this only amounts to 1 per cent of the total network.

The reduction of TACs would be achieved by raising road tolls for trucks, as Litwin pointed out. Less money spent on TACs, he said, would translate into higher investments in rail rolling stock, which would in turn create better conditions for the Polish rail freight industry. Higher TACs are having a significant impact on rail freight volumes in the country. Last year was the worst one in terms of volumes since 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic was at its peak.

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