Rebuilding of Rzepin railway station coming up

Ten post dostępny jest także w języku: polski

Restoring the historical appearance of the station, improving passenger comfort, accessibility and safety are just some of the objectives of the modernization of the Rzepin railway station. PKP S.A. announced a tender procedure for the selection of a contractor for the construction works.

The Rzepin railway station is one of eight facilities in the Lubuskie region modernised by PKP S.A. as part of the Railway Station Investment Programme 2016-2023. The investment is co-financed with EU funds under the Operational Programme Infrastructure and Environment. Thanks to it, the railway station dating back to the end of the 19th century will be restored to its historical beauty and will become a modern building. The facade, from which the plaster will be removed, will undergo renovation. As a result, it will regain its original brick appearance. Architectural details will be renovated, and if necessary reconstructed to resemble historical details, including the so-called palmettes, i.e. decorative elements in the form of stylised palm leaves, on the corners of the building and the gable wall. It is also planned to restore the skylight above the lobby and the chimneys. The renovated façade will be highlighted by new night-time illumination of the building.

– The announcement of a tender for the selection of a contractor for the redevelopment of the railway station in Rzepin is another element of counteracting transport exclusion. Inhabitants of another small town in the Lubuskie Province will gain access to safe and comfortable railway infrastructure. I hope that the modernised station building will become an important centre for the local community and will make rail travel easier for passengers. All this thanks to the Railway Station Investment Programme, under which the Polish government will allocate nearly PLN 2 billion for the modernisation of nearly 200 railway stations by 2023 – says Andrzej Bittel, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure.

– The Station Investment Programme has already entered a decisive phase. Some of the investments carried out by PKP S.A. have been completed or are in the course of construction, and soon they will be joined by others. One of them is the redevelopment of the Rzepin railway station, for which a tender has just been announced. Thanks to it the station will regain its historical beauty and meet modern standards of passenger service – says Maciej Małecki, Secretary of State at the Ministry of State Assets.

– Improving travel comfort, shortening journey times, modernisation of railway stations and adapting them for people with special needs are among the priorities of the Polish government when implementing railway investments. European funds from the Infrastructure and Environment Programme support the modernisation of historic railway stations, such as the one in Rzepin. Thanks to this passengers will be able to use a more modern, safe and accessible place – says Waldemar Buda, deputy minister for funds and regional policy.

– The Railway Station Investment Programme in Lubuskie Province is gaining momentum. We have recently started rebuilding the railway station in Witnica and construction work in Świebodzin will start any day now. Rzepin is another location on the map of lubuskie voivodship where we are planning to start work this year – says Ireneusz Maślany, member of the board of PKP S.A.

The interior of the station will undergo a metamorphosis. The space for traveller service will consist of a hall which will also serve as a waiting room. It will be equipped, among others, with benches, display cases for timetables, electronic boards for train arrivals and departures and a new voice information system. The ground floor of the building will also house ticket offices, public toilets, commercial premises and those for railway operators.

Thanks to the reconstruction, the Rzepin railway station will become friendly to people with limited mobility. It is planned to eliminate architectural barriers and introduce a number of improvements for people with disabilities. There will be lifts in the building, paths for the blind and visually impaired, maps with the station’s tactile plan and signage in Braille. In addition, the height of the ticket office windows has been adjusted to accommodate wheelchair users, and automatic doors have been installed to facilitate access to the building.

The redevelopment will also make the station greener and safer. It is planned to implement energy-efficient lighting in LED technology together with automatic control. In order to reduce heat losses, the building will be insulated from the inside and windows and doors with a low heat transfer coefficient will be installed.  In order to optimise electricity and water consumption, the equipment and systems installed in the building will be supervised by the BMS (Building Management System). An important element of the investment is also the improvement of security of persons and property, including the installation of new systems: monitoring, access control, burglary and assault signalling and fire protection.

The investment will also cover the immediate surroundings of the Rzepin station. It will form a compositional whole with the space previously reconstructed by the local government. The scope of works includes the laying of a new surface and installation of small architecture elements (benches, baskets, lighting). A bicycle shelter will also be created near the building.

The exact cost of the redevelopment of the Rzepin railway station will be known after the conclusion of the tender for the selection of a contractor for the construction works. The opening of offers in the proceedings is planned for 13 July this year.

Source: PKP SA