First phase of A1 motorway opened in Poland

On 17 October, the first phase of the A1 motorway was inaugurated in Poland. The dual-carriage throughput leading from Gdansk to southern Poland is the largest infrastructure development project NIB is currently financing in Central and Eastern Europe.

Photo: Gdansk Transport Company

The new 90-kilometre road starts in the northern Polish harbour city of Gdansk and stretches to the town of Nowe Marzy. This is the first phase of the A1 motorway, which will continue via Poland to the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary.

“Gdansk is growing into one of the major logistic hubs in the Baltic Sea region, and the A1 motorway promises to become Europe’s new principal north-south transport corridor, which is essential for trade between the Bank’s member countries and regions in Central and Southern Europe,” says Johnny Åkerholm, President and CEO of NIB.

The A1 project is being implemented as a Public Private Partnership (PPP). Poland’s government has granted a concession lasting until 2039 to the special purpose company, Gdansk Transport Company (GTC). Swedish Skanska Infrastructure Development is a major shareholder in GTC.

“It has been a great project, where we have been able to deliver the motorway well ahead of time. The project will bring great value to the road users with shorter travel times and a safer road,” says Magnus Andersson, Executive Vice President, Skanska Infrastructure Development.

The costs of the new road project total EUR 700 million. NIB has granted a EUR 140 million loan to GTC. The loan agreement with a repayment period of 30 years was signed in summer 2005.