Poland and Belarus plan new railway bridge across Bug

Plans to construct a bridge connecting Terespol in Poland to Brest in Belarus moved have moved closer becoming a reality. The Polish railway company PKP has announced that it is in negotiations with Belarus regarding the bridge, which Andrzej Bittel, Poland’s deputy minister of infrastructure, says in needed to increase capacity. “A dialogue is taking place and the Belarusian side is currently analysing our proposals,” he told the news agency PAP.

According to Mr Bittel, an increase of the capacity of rail border crossings in the east will allow for better passenger train services and speed up the shipment of goods to the west and south of Europe.

Mr Bittel said that while the current infrastructure is sufficient in relation to the current flow of goods, there needs to be investment to account for growing trade.

“At the same time, we are quite effective in fulfilling the obligations we have assumed for ourselves in terms of international agreements and the related flow of goods,” he added. “We are planning a variety of investments that will allow us to increase capacity, particularly bearing in mind that as the One Belt One Road initiative develops, additional trains will be coming to Poland.

Mr Bittel also announced plans to open a border crossing between Poland and Belarus at Czeremcha-Wysokie, likely in the fourth quarter of 2019.