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Serious threats to Poland and the region of Central and Eastern Europe 
 

Dear Sirs,
We, the Polish Community, address you – International Community regarding the threats to the energetic and economic security of Poland in relation to the very poor condition of transport infrastructure of the City of Płock – a strategic fuel and energetic centre of Poland (commonly known as the Capital of Polish Chemistry) and a region of Central and Eastern Europe, including the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) – a large urban agglomeration of about 200 thousand citizens, the sixth centre in Poland in economic terms, at the same time a key centre ensuring functioning of the economy of the whole country and its defence safety, and thus the safety of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as well as the European Union in this part of Europe. These issues are all the more relevant in the face of the tense international situation and the crisis in Ukraine.

In Poland there are only two oil refineries. The largest oil refinery in Poland, belonging to Polish oil company Polski Koncern Naftowy ORLEN S.A. (PKN ORLEN S.A.), (English: Polish Oil Concern ORLEN S.A.), headquartered in Płock, is located in Płock. It is one of the largest refineries in this part of Europe. In Płock also the main and largest production plant of PKN ORLEN S.A. is located one of the largest refinery and petrochemical complexes in Europe. PKN ORLEN S.A. is the largest company in Poland and Central and Eastern Europe. It is also a region of a great and strategic oil industry. More information about this great oil industry can be found further in this letter.

Unfortunately, this strategic area lacks adequate transport infrastructure. This is very dangerous because it hinders the functioning of this strategic industry localized in Płock as well as threatens the energetic safety and economy of Poland. Citizens and the environment in the region are also endangered.

This strategic area needs also adequate evacuation routes expressways (dual carriageways) – to serve emergency services and to ensure a rapid response in case of incidents (for example serious industrial accidents or acts of sabotage and terrorism) as well as double-track railways for the safe transport of dangerous substances.

Visual map presenting the postulated transport infrastructure (the most important and with the fastest possible implementation): http://s6.ifotos.pl/img/mapofthep_exaesaa.jpg

Visual map presenting the postulated double-track railway (the most important and with the fastest possible implementation): http://img580.imageshack.us/img580/8610/mapaliniikolejowych0.jpg

Visual map presenting the postulated transport infrastructure near Płock (in Polish): http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img513/9049/rv8q.jpg

Visual map presenting the postulated the Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T) for Płock and other strategic centres of Poland with the proposed the course of the roads: http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img62/4333/szy3.jpg

Above the maps placed on the website Roads for Płock and the region (Polish: Drogi dla Płocka i regionu): http://drogidlaplocka.ubf.pl/news.php

The lack of adequate transport infrastructure in this strategic area is particularly dangerous in the winter. Winters in Poland are often snowy and severe, which sometimes makes roads such as these in Płock and this region impassable.

Many years of neglect of the road and railway infrastructure, the constantly growing traffic, forecast with the further upward trend on the described area in the absence of new implementations of investments imply dangers of extraordinary scale as a result of concentrated here huge amounts of very dangerous substances, including substances creating mass threat for the inhabitants of Płock and its region, but also for the safety and stable operation of the whole country.

In the case of dangers connected with multiannual negligence relating to transport infrastructure in Płock and threats concerning the transport of dangerous substances, the City Council of Płock has taken its stand in the unanimously adopted appeal addressed to the central and provincial authorities on the Special XXII Session of the City Council of Płock, on 18 April 2010 as follows (source: Public Information Bulletin of the Office of the City of Plock), (website in Polish): http://bip.ump.pl/?show_cat=sr1zATpT

Photo and film documentation showing the very poor state of transport infrastructure in the city of Płock and its region as well as the resulting risks to life and health of the population and industrial hazards in this area at selected locations (all materials contained in the following links are created by us and you can use them free of charge and for any purpose), (in Polish);

to view on-line with active links and also PDF file download:                                            https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-twxXdCgZ7oTFRuc1I3NWFKZG8/edit

This documentation is mentioned also later in the letter.

Neglecting the transport infrastructure of Płock and the lack of actions of the Polish Government in the context of dangers connected with the threats of the located here great oil industry strategic for the country worry many engineering and technical environments, including environments connected with the chemical industry in Płock, road construction and various kinds of services – Police, Fire Brigade and Medical Services. Written positions in this matter, which we received from the Police Department in Płock, National Headquarters of the State Fire Service of Poland, Municipal Headquarters of the State Fire Service in Płock, Regional Ambulance Service and Sanitary Transport in Płock, have been sent to the European Parliament within the petitions submitted by us, what is described below.

Link to the article about the seminar devoted to the difficult situation with the transport infrastructure in Płock and its region, which took place in February 2012 (source: PortalPłock), (article in Polish): http://portalplock.pl/pl/334_informacje/1005_plock_miasto_daleko_od_szosy.html

The requirements for the construction of transport infrastructure in Płock and the region are also supported by the many state and local government bodies (including, among others. by Mazovia Provincial Inspector for Environmental Protection, as confirmed by the document: http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img42/7986/r90b.jpg) as well as by the Polish fuel sector – mainly PKN ORLEN S.A.

Links to the original letters;


from the Fire Service (National Headquarters), (the second petition no. 2534/2013): http://www.ifotos.pl/zobacz/DSC0783--_enaqssq.JPG



Environment and municipal authorities as well as the whole community of Płock are also concerned about the lack of suitable recognition of Płock in the plans for the construction of a transport infrastructure network in Poland. Another issue is the lack of the realistically specified, not distant investments concerning the construction of this infrastructure for Płock in the document accepted by the Polish Government National Spatial Development Concept 2030 (NSDC 2030), on 13 December 2011. The law, however, allows the Polish Government to introduce changes of a part or the document at any given time.

Link to the document National Spatial Development Concept 2030 (NSDC 2030), (PDF file in English): http://tnij.org/sr33dvg

As a result of the petition submitted in 2012 to the European Parliament, concerning the long-term neglect of the transport infrastructure of Płock and its region, registered under the number 0764/2012, it was recognized by the Committee of the European Parliament Petitions as admissible.

Link to the website of the general register of the European Parliament, on which there is, among others, the above described petition, registered under the number 0764/2012: http://tnij.at/20604

Recently, another petition, registered under the number 2534/2013 in this case has been submitted to the European Parliament and is now being examined: http://tnij.at/20605

Due to the risks described here in Płock and surrounding region public protests with the participation of the Local Government of the City of Płock are getting worse. Below are links to articles describing some of the protests;

article on the protest of November 27th, 2013 (source: Gazeta Wyborcza), (article in Polish): http://plock.gazeta.pl/plock/1,35710,15030022.html

article on the protest of February 2nd, 2014 (source: PetroNews.pl), (article in Polish): 
http://petroecho.pl/plocki-sld-chce-wyprowadzic-tranzyt-z-miasta-i-znow-zablokuje-drogi/

article on the protest of March 27th, 2014 r. (source: Tygodnik Płocki, English: Płock Weekly), (article in Polish):
http://www.tp.com.pl/wydarzenia/blokada-na-ul-granicznej.html

Further protests are announced in Płock and other parts of the Mazovia Province.                                          
 

The transport infrastructure described above, contributes to the use of the longest and largest river of Poland – the Vistula River (Polish: Wisła) for inland waterway transport of goods on a large scale. Płock is located on the eastern edge of the Włocławek Reservoir (Polish: Zbiornik Włocławski or Włocławek Lake, Polish: Jezioro Włocławskie) – an artificial reservoir dam on the Vistula River which is the largest artificial reservoir water in Poland. This is excellent space to create a logistics center and to bring together different modes of transport, i.e. inland waterway, road transport and rail transport through intermodal hubs. The Vistula River on the section Gdańsk–Warszawa (including Płock) is an international waterway E40.

Link to the map of the international waterway E40 (the website Roads for Płock and the region): http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/2516/drogiwodne.jpg

Inland waterway transport on the Vistula River also contributes largely to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in Poland, as well as to implement the European Commission's strategy, contained in the document White Paper Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area (PDF file in English):                   http://www.vlaamsehavencommissie.be/sites/default/files/documenten/WHP-001%20EN.pdf

The Regional Government of the Mazovia Province has already taken steps to restore navigation on the Vistula River in its lower parts and signed an agreement on this matter in Elbląg (Warmia-Masuria Province) in July 2013 with the Regional Government of the Kuiavia-Pomerania Province, the Regional Government of the Pomerania Province and the Regional Government of the Warmia-Masuria Province – the provinces located also on the lower section of the Vistula River (source: article from a Polish daily Dziennik Bałtycki), (article in Polish): http://tnij.org/yoktaxu

Moreover, the Regional Government of the Mazovia Province is involved in the following project INWAPO (in English): http://tnij.org/69ul7aa

Link to a rough scheme presenting the use of postulated transport infrastructure for Płock to inland waterway transport on the Vistula River (the website Roads for Płock and the region): http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/4365/schematpoczeinfrastrukt.jpg

All the issues described here are supported by the Regional Government of the Mazovia Province and authorities of Płock. Issues concerning support by the Regional Government of the Mazovia Province and authorities of Płock for the implementation of the road and rail infrastructure schemes, are described later in this letter.

Due to the fact that Płock is located in the central part of the country, the postulated transport infrastructure can solve many important problems and help to achieve economies of (in addition to those mentioned above) many large urban agglomerations and a large area of Poland at a relatively low cost:

– improve territorial integrity of Poland,

– result in better connection of the Warmia-Masuria Province to the A2 motorway,

– relieve Warszawa road network – especially in the long run, when the extension of the postulated expressway (bypassing Warszawa) on the section Koło–Kutno–Płock–Glinojeck or Płońsk and S7 expressway to Łomża and S61 expressway (Via Baltica road) as well as to the S8 expressway leading to Białystok, which also allows for better and faster heavy transit traffic on the line Western Europe–Poland–Baltic States and from Western Europe to Russia, strengthening the territorial integrity of the European Union (link to the map: http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img822/2401/uuba.jpg),

– improve communication among urban agglomerations located on the Vistula River, i.e. on the section Bydgoszcz–Toruń–Płock–Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki (Modlin Airport) and further in the direction of Warszawa (in the case of rail transport also Włocławek), (the map mentioned above),

– increase the economic development of this part of Poland

and restore the navigability of the Vistula River at the same time:

– create savings in transport economy,

– relieve the land transport,

– increase road safety,

– increase economic development in the area described.

Unfortunately, there is still too little involvement of the Polish Government in this case.

The Supreme Audit Office released a crushing report about inland waterways in Poland, which shows that the transport of goods by rivers does not actually exist. The main reason for this is the disastrous state of waterways resulting from years of neglect (source: article from biztok in Polsih, article of April 3rd, 2014):                                            http://www.biztok.pl/gospodarka/druzgocacy-raport-niku-o-zegludze-srodladowej-w-polsce_a15862

In Poland also a number of funds were lost that could be utilized to implement the above-described transport infrastructure, improving to a large extent the economic and energetic security of the country, while leveraging the enormous potential of the biggest Polish river – the Vistula for the economic and environmentally friendly inland water transport.

Forbes Magazine published an article in which it was described how in recent years, only with the construction of roads in Poland, as a result of a number of corruption scandals, the Polish Government has lost as much as five billion Euro.

Link to the article from Forbes, article of March 8th, 2013 (article in English): http://www.forbes.pl/fixing-on-the-roads-in-poland,artykuly,143374,1,1.html

This is not an isolated incident, as similar incidents of public money wasting happen in Poland quite often.

These issues have been raised and submitted in the form of applications by us to the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport of the European Commission during the public consultation in early 2014.

For the above reasons, we turn to you with a polite request to lobby the highest bodies of the European Union and many other bodies of opinion to urge the Polish Government to take action in all matters described in this letter, which is very important both in terms of energy security and threats to strategic industries, located in Płock as well as to restore navigability in the lower section of the Vistula River causing large reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

The great economic potential of Płock – the sixth Polish economic centre – cannot be fully exploited. An example of such a potential, (apart from the abovementioned inland waterway transport on the Vistula River) is the Płocki Park Przemysłowo-Technologiczny S.A. (PPPT), (English: Płock Industrial and Technological Park S.A.), located near the refinery and petrochemical complex of Production Plant PKN ORLEN S.A. in Płock.

Description of the investment offer of the PPPT can be found on the website Invest in Poland (in English): http://www.paiz.gov.pl/investment_support/industrial_and_technology_parks/plock

Link to the official website the PPPT (in English): http://www.pppt.pl/EN/Pages/default.aspx
 

Some selected applications for transport infrastructure submitted ​​by PKN ORLEN S.A. and by Sylwester Fiet: – the organizer of the campaign promoting the implementation of safe transport infrastructure for the City and the region of Płock and also the author of the website Roads for Płock and the region (Polish: Drogi dla Płocka i regionu): http://drogidlaplocka.ubf.pl/news.php, to the document Mazovia Province Development Strategy are listed below;

applications submitted by PKN ORLEN S.A.:

position in the table below: 1314 (page 242) no. application: 96/01–1337 (page 249) no. application: 120/01,

applications for transport infrastructure submitted by Sylwester Fiet:

position in the table below: 1270 (page 235) no. application: 139/01 – application for the fastest possible implementation of expressways (dual carriageways) on sections of national roads, i.e. national road no. 2 section Koło–Kutno, national road no. 60 section Kutno–Płock–Glinojeck and national road no. 62 section Włocławek–Płock–Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki,


Applications to the Mazovia Province Development Strategy in another document submitted by Sylwester Fiet and Jan Wyrębkowski, M.Sc. Eng. – biographical note of engineer Jan Wyrębkowski can be found on the website Mosty Polskie (English: Polish Bridges): http://www.mostypolskie.pl/jan-wyrebkowski,346,.html;

applications for transport infrastructure submitted by Sylwester Fiet:

position in the table below: 2115 (page 214), no. application: 38/01 – application for the implementation of two expressways (dual carriageways) crossing near Płock, which are now part of national roads: national road no. 2 section Koło–Kutno, national road no. 62 section Włocławek–Płock–Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki and section Płock–Lipno connected with the A1 motorway as well as the implementation of road-rail bridge in the village of Maszewo near Płock,

position in the table below: 2116 (page 214), no. application: 38/02 – application for the implementation of two sections of the conventional railway, i.e. double-track railway sections: Włocławek–Płock–Modlin (Modlin – the district of Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki with the airport) and implementation of the second track railway section Płock–Kutno, including the railway crossing the Vistula River (road-rail bridge in the village of Maszewo near Płock),

applications to strategy submitted by Jan Wyrębkowski, M.Sc. Eng.:

position in the table below: 2024 (page 208), no. application: 13/02 – application for the zoning plan development of functional area Płock as a problem area with a high risk of industrial accidents,

position in the table below: 2096 (page 212), no. application: 231/01 – please, take especially into account the agglomeration of Płock where a refinery and petrochemical plant is located – a complex of facilities of strategic importance for the domestic economy that also collects huge amounts of hazardous materials and products which together create an increased risk for the population and the environment,

link to the document: http://tnij.org/csyua81

All of the above mentioned applications, including the postulated transport infrastructure (maps posted above), and applications submitted by PKN ORLEN S.A., to this strategy are considered fully justified and are supported by the Regional Government of the Mazovia Province. There are many other proposals transport infrastructure and security of the region considered fully justified in this strategy. Only some of them are listed above.
 

In Płock and its area there are more often occurring serious threats due to malfunctions and damages of the technical infrastructure connected with rail and road transportations of dangerous chemical substances.

Source: a document of the Council of the Płock District Program of environmental protection in the Płock county for the period of 2011–2015 with the perspective to the year 2018. Transport of dangerous substances page 59 (document in Polish): http://tnij.org/2fjks2d

Therefore, there is the absolute necessity to build expressways with the dual carriageway standard of high capacity and condition of being passable to the agglomeration of Płock, connecting the centre of Płock with main Road in the country in order to carry out an effective, potential fire and rescue action, conducted from the whole country and evacuation action of the residents of the city and its areas during the potential, serious industrial accident with the participation of strategic objects for the energetic safety of the country and the whole economy in the country – the biggest in Poland and Central and Eastern Europe oil refinery and petrochemical industry, located in the main and largest production plant of the PKN ORLEN S.A. located in Płock, where the oil concern also has its headquarters, which production of oil covers up to 60 percent of the whole demand for fuel in Poland and from which fuels is transported through pipes to the biggest agglomerations in the country or the largest resource base of oil in Poland, located in Miszewko Strzałkowskie near Płock, belonging to the Przedsiębiorstwo Eksploatacji Rurociągów Naftowych "Przyjaźń” S.A. (PERN "Przyjaźń" S.A.), (English: Enterprise of Exploiting Oil Pipelines "Friendship" S.A.) with the headquarters in Płock, located by the strategic oil pipeline Przyjaźń (English: Druzhba Pipeline or Friendship Pipeline) and the planned oil pipeline Odessa–Brody–Płock–Gdańsk. The current state of road infrastructure of the single road standard in this area makes it impossible to conduct an effective action on such scale during the potential real in terms threatening with a serious industrial malfunction or emergency events, that have occurred as a result of actions of the sabotage or terrorist actions, with the participation of the above mentioned strategic objects for the whole country.

Quote of the text about the strategy of the Production Plant PKN ORLEN S.A. in Płock and energetic safety of Poland, from the material "Works of the Committee of the Industry Geography", Authors: Andrzej Wieloński, Janusz Machowski. Warsaw–Cracow 2008. No 10. Processes of transformations of the selected industries in Poland and around the world – Energetic safety of Poland, page 89:

PKN ORLEN AND THE ENERGETIC SAFETY OF POLAND

Fuel and petrochemical company PKN ORLEN S.A. in the conditions of the market economy has transformed into one of the biggest corporations of the oil industry in Central and Eastern Europe. Refineries in Płock, Jedlicze and Trzebinia included in the Capital Group PKN ORLEN S.A. have ¾ capacities of Polish refineries. Refinery in Płock, with the capacity potential of 17,8 million of oil per year, due to its strategic location is – next to the transit pipeline "Przyjaźń" – the greatest Polish refinery processing heavy/sour oil of the REBCO type, supplied from Russia for fuel and intermediates for the petrochemical processing.

Website address of the above mentioned source (PDF file in Polish): http://www.up.krakow.pl/geo/kgpptg/pdf/ptg10/wielonski_machowski10.pdf

Logistic infrastructure (information with a map) used by the ORLEN Group in Poland (the first link below) and Europe (the second link below) – website the PKN ORLEN S.A. – The map on this website shows the virtually all existing oil infrastructure in Poland. (websites in English): http://www.raportroczny.orlen.pl/report_en_logistics_pipelines_2011

Logistic infrastructure (information with a map) in Europe: http://www.raportroczny.orlen.pl/report_en_logistics_2011

In contrast to other European countries, in Poland there are only two real fuel manufacturers, these are: the oil refinery in Gdańsk, belonging to LOTOS Group S.A. with the processing power about 10 million tons of oil per year (210,000 bbl/d – 33,000 m3/d) and the oil refinery in Płock – the main and largest refinery of PKN ORLEN S.A. with the processing power about 14,5 million tons of oil per year (276,000 bbl/d – 43,900 m3/d).

List of all oil refineries in Poland and their capacities (reference: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oil_refineries#Poland

PKN ORLEN S.A. is also the largest company in the region of Central and Eastern Europe.

Link to the article about the ranking of 500 largest companies in Central and Eastern Europe according to Deloitte (PDF document bellow; page 42. Table 10: CE Top 500 ranking 2013; PDF document in English): 
http://www.deloitte.com/assets/Dcom-Ukraine/Local%20Assets/Documents/CE%20Top%20500/CETop500_2013_eng.pdf

Link to information on the refinery in Płock on the website PKN ORLEN S.A. (website in English): http://www.raportroczny.orlen.pl/report_en_refinery_poland_2011

Quote from the website PERN "Przyjaźń" S.A.:

PERN "Przyjaźń" S.A. is a leader of petroleum logistics on its domestic market, and a strategic company which guarantees the energy security of Poland, and thus also that of the European Union, within the scope of crude oil supplies. The Company's basic activity is the operation of the network of crude oil pipelines, transporting Russian crude oil for the largest producers of fuels in Poland, as well as in Germany. The two lines of the "Przyjaźń" pipeline, which span from Adamowo, situated at the Polish-Belarussian border, to Płock, and then to Schwedt in Germany.

Apart from the network of crude oil pipelines, PERN "Przyjaźń" S.A. also owns a network of product pipelines, used for transporting liquid fuels produced by refineries. This network radiates from Płock towards Warsaw, Poznań and Częstochowa. Yet another service, crucial for the energy security of the country, rendered by PERN "Przyjaźń" S.A., is the storage of crude oil.

Link to the website PERN "Przyjaźń" S.A. (website in English):
http://www.pern.com.pl/?q=en/node/111

Infrastructure PERN "Przyjaźń" S.A. (information with a map) for the transport of oil website the PERN "Przyjaźń" S.A. (website in English):
http://www.pern.com.pl/?q=en/node/140

Production Plant PKN ORLEN S.A. in Płock with the area of about eight hundred hectares (800 hectares) i.e. about eight million square metres (8 million square metres), accumulates in its area amount of dangerous substances not met anywhere else in Poland, as much as about a million three hundred thousand tons (1 300 000 tons).

Source of data about the area of the Production Plant PKN ORLEN S.A. in Płock (website the PPPT in English):
http://www.pppt.pl/EN/Press/InterestingFacts/Pages/PPPT-is-an-area-of-over-200-ha-.aspx?pageNumber=1

Source of accurate data with the list of specific dangerous substances and amounts of these substances, found in the above mentioned industrial plants: Mazovia Province Office – System’s action plan. National Medical Rescue for the Mazovia ProvinceProduction Plant PKN ORLEN S.A. in Płock – table on p. 23 and PERN "Przyjaźń" S.A. – table on p. 24 (PDF file in Polish): http://www.spzoz.eu/files/Plan_PRM_1.pdf

A similar amount of dangerous substances, i.e. about a million three hundred thousand tons (1 300 000 tons) in the form of the stored oil is currently in the Resource Base PERN "Przyjaźń" S.A., located at a distance of about 2 kilometres (1.24 miles) from Płock.

Both of the above mentioned industrial plants are the Plants of Big Risk (ZDRs) of a serious industrial accident with a large concentration of dangerous substances, including substances creating mass threat, flammable, extremely flammable and explosive, as well as highly toxic substances, corrosive and harmful to health, especially during the potential malfunction especially for the residents of the city and areas within a radius of at least several kilometres.

Moreover, in Płock and its region, there are conducted numerous transports of dangerous substances through a city with tanks in a very heightened and constantly growing traffic in Płock and its area and on country roads leading to Płock, i.e. the national road no. 60 and national road no. 62 and a dozen of transports in a day of railway freight deposits, on a single-track railway no. 33 through central areas of the city, filled with dangerous petroleum substances from the refinery and petrochemical industry in Płock and the transport of oil and final products through pipelines.

It should also be noted that all kinds of highly specialized emergency services, including fire-fighting units, chemical and others, stationed in Płock due to insufficient communication connections of Płock with the rest of the country, during potential crisis events in other areas of Poland have limited possibilities in the context of giving sufficient and immediate, often indispensible, intervention.

Links to photos from study (the internet address to the whole study with the map and locations of the registered photos and films are given in the further part of the paper) of main road of Płock – national roads: national road no. 60 and national road no. 62 in the exit from Płock and the monorail, running through the central regions of the city:

Photo 2. Outlet of the national road no. 62 from the city (ul. Popłacińska) – view in the eastern direction.

Płock, 4 September (Tuesday) 2012, hour: 17.17 CEST: http://img849.imageshack.us/img849/6149/dsc5354z.jpg

Photo 4. Outlet of the national road no. 60 from the city (ul. Bielska) – view in the southern direction.

Płock, 28 August (Tuesday) 2012, hour: 17.09 CEST: http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/8305/dsc5000k.jpg

Photo 7. Outlet of the national road no. 62 from the city (ul. Wyszogrodzka) – view in the eastern direction.

Płock, 29 August (Wednesday) 2012, hour: 12.47 CEST: http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/8877/dsc5089a.jpg

Photo 11. Outlet of the national road no. 60 from the city (ul. Kutnowska) – view in the northern direction.

Płock, 4 September (Tuesday) 2012, hour: 14.54 CEST: http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/333/dsc5287.jpg

Film 6. Transport of dangerous substances, carried out by the railway through rail crossings intersecting the Avenue of Marshal Józef Piłsudski and ul. Wyszogrodzka and densely populated areas of Płock. The train running from the refinery and petrochemical complex in Płock, belonging to PKN ORLEN S.A. with tanks filled with petroleum products in the southern direction.

Płock, 5 September (Wednesday) 2012, hour: 16.23–16.26 CEST: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVltwcZZEU8&feature=youtu.be

Photo 45. Multi-family residential buildings near railway tracks, on which the transport of dangerous substances from the refinery and petrochemical complex in Płock is conducted. Surroundings of the railway crossing on the Avenue of Marshal Józef Piłsudski (district Międzytorze on the northern side of the Avenue of Marshal Józef Piłsudski).

Płock, 5 September (Wednesday) 2012, hour: 18.22 CEST: http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/764/dsc5670rn.jpg

Substances posing mass threat and other, occurring in the area of the Production Plant PKN ORLEN in Płock;

Substances posing mass threat;

liquid gas propane-butane: extremely flammable gas, (substance posing mass threat),

hydrogen sulphide: extremely flammable gas, very toxic, (substance posing mass threat),

hydrogen fluoride: very toxic and corrosive substance, (substance posing mass threat),

chlorine: toxic, irritant, dangerous for the environment substance, (substance posing mass threat).

Extremely, highly flammable, corrosive, toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, environmentally harmful, irritant, harmful substances:

crude oil, fuel oils, motor gasoline, aviation fuel – including, main petrochemical products:

ethylene and propylene, toluene, benzene, xylenes, acetones, butadiene, glycols, ethylene oxide, phenol.

The source of above data: Production Plant PKN ORLEN S.A. in Płock – pt 5. Types of dangerous substances – including substances posing mass threat, occurring in the area of Production Plant PKN ORLEN S.A. in Płock (PDP file in Polish): http://www.orlen.pl/PL/OdpowiedzialnyBiznes/Documents/Informcje_na_temat_srodkow_bezpieczenstwa.pdf

The above PDF file is on the website PKN ORLEN S.A. at the following address (the first PDF file from the top – Information on the safety measures, PDF file in Polish): http://www.orlen.pl/PL/OdpowiedzialnyBiznes/OtoczenieSpoleczne/Strony/Bezpieczenstwo.aspx

Link to the website Roads for Płock and the region, concerning the campaign for the construction of safe transport infrastructure for Płock and its region with information coming from many official sources (website in Polish, the website has multilingual translator): http://drogidlaplocka.ubf.pl/news.php

Link to the map placed on the website Roads for Płock and the region, showing the enormity of industrial threats in Płock and its region in the extraordinary scale: http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/8400/mapapockakopia.jpg

Link to the satellite map of the above presented region of Płock on Google Maps: http://tnij.org/udyx9q4

A disturbing event, which took place in the city of Płock in recent times was the collision of the freight train, driving dangerous substances from the Production Plant PKN ORLEN S.A. in Płock with a passenger vehicle on the unguarded rail crossing on ul. Zielona in the left bank district of Płock Radziwie in urban areas, on 26 January 2013.

Source of information – Gazeta Wyborcza in Płock (article in Polish): http://plock.gazeta.pl/plock/1,35710,13303298,Wypadek_w_Plocku__zderzenie_z_pociagiem.html

The place of the event, i.e. rail crossing on ul. Zielona in Płock on Google Maps: http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/7021/wypadekpocigu.jpg

Satellite photo of the above mentioned place of event on Google Maps: https://maps.google.com/?ll=52.527722,19.675089&spn=0.001317,0.002411&t=h&z=19

The documentaries below reveal possible and very realistic scenarios that can happen also in Płock, which in the long run can lead to unimaginably disastrous consequences:

Train explosion in Lac-Mégantic (Province of Quebec, Canada), July 6, 2013: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woZpKt4DlrA

Explosion on refinery in Mexico: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9i7cM7FtfU

Here you can see the explosion of the tank on the truck:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tK1gdbOhKs

Here, in turn, the explosion of a piece of railway tanks with diesel (ON) seen from a distance of about 2 kilometres (1.24 miles):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zn516LZNv5w

Below you can see the case of railway tanks of propane:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf3WKTwHpIU

Here a small plant producing rocket fuel, you can see the shock wave: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KuGizBjDXo

The following link shows the explosion of compressed natural gas (CNG), a situation likely to arise in the vicinity of the railway crossing in Płock Al. Marshal Józef Piłsudski: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UI0QWm4TxZU

To learn about the cause of train derailment that seems to be trivial see the video below: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03Nq632eV6I

As a result of years of neglect concerning transport infrastructure in Płock – very sensitive centre with great risks due to the chemical industry occurring here, by the way strategic for the economy of the whole country, has threatened and still threatens the safety of life and health of many thousands of its citizens. At the moment of event, threat for life and health of people during the mentioned accident as a result of the collision of both vehicles occurred not only in reference to safety of the traffic, but most of all to the safety of residents living around the railway line, on which there were and still are transported dangerous chemical products from the Production Plant PKN ORLEN S.A. in Płock.

One set of goods carriages riding with dangerous products from the Production Plant PKN ORLEN S.A. in Płock, in terms of quantity of the accumulated dangerous substances, is compared to ten industrial plants, qualified to the category of the Unit of Big Risk (ZDR).

Through central districts of Płock there are carried out dozens of such railway transports with dangerous substances per day, where in many places similar of much more dangerous collisions may take place, resulting in the deprivation of life and health of many residents.

At the railway station PKP Płock-Trzepowo there is run the loading of petroleum products from the Production Plant PKN ORLEN S.A. in Płock in the amount of about three and a half thousand tons (3 500 tons) daily.

Source of the above data – Evaluation of the risk of the Mazovia Province in the peacetime and war from the weapons of mass destruction and toxic industrial measures – p. 12, Railway routes (website in Polish): http://tnij.org/4iyt4zw

It should be noted that the vast majority of goods in the form of dangerous substances from this plant is transported in the southern direction, meaning through the central regions of Płock.

Due to reasons, among others, of the course of the alternative, safe route of these extremely dangerous railway transports, it is necessary to build a double-track railway line on the route Włocławek–Płock–Modlin (Modlin Airport), bypassing the central regions of Płock.

The link below includes the internet address of the study Photographic and film documentation – Płock 2012, concerning the condition of the road and railway infrastructure in the area of Płock and its regions, as well as threats for life and health of people resulting from it, as well as industrial threats occurring on the above mentioned area in the selected places (the study is in Polish):

to view on-line with active links and also PDF file download: 
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-twxXdCgZ7oTFRuc1I3NWFKZG8/edit

It should be noted that this very sensitive area for the reasons mentioned above, concerning the neglect of the transport infrastructure, is most probably the weakest link in the country and region of Central and Eastern Europe, being the region almost unprotected against all situations of the sabotage and terrorist nature.

In connection with the above-cited facts and threats to life and health of the inhabitants of Płock and its region and threats connected with the facilities, located in the area of the city of Płock and in its region, as strategic objects for the energetic safety of Poland and connected with it the safe functioning of the whole economy of the country, as the community of Płock towards the sluggishness of the Polish Government in these matters, which have been repeatedly directed to them in writing, we demanded and we still continue to demand from the Polish central authorities the treatment of the matters concerning the deteriorating every moment condition of all technical and transport infrastructure of Płock, which can at any moment lead to extraordinary and incredibly huge, negative consequences for the people of this strategic region and the whole Polish economy as an absolute priority for Poland, having a direct relation with the safety of functioning of the whole country and undertaking immediate actions, aiming at the improvement of the current state and as fast as possible (i.e. from now on – 2013), following arrangements and investment implementations:

the connection of Płock with the expressway (dual carriageway) with the A1 motorway in two road interchanges (interchanges: vicinity of Toruń and vicinity of Gostynin), with the A2 motorway in one road interchange: vicinity of Koło, with the S7 expressway in two road interchanges (interchange: vicinity of Glinojeck or Płońsk and the vicinity of Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki) and the connection of Płock with the railway infrastructure through the implementation of the double-track railway on the section: Włocławek–Płock–Modlin (Modlin Airport), also including Płock as the strategic centre for the energetic safety of Poland and Polish economy for the main infrastructure of the national and Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T).

Link to the map with the postulated communication connections (map developed in English): http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/7501/mapofthepostulatedroads.jpg

The above postulated communication sections (both road and rail), from now on, and even more after their further expansion, can become the communication strings of European importance.

Link to the map from the website Roads for Płock and the region with suggestions of the potential expansion of the postulated communication connections for Płock: http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/4365/schematpoczeinfrastrukt.jpg

Link to the map with the current and accomplished network of main roads in Poland (the website Invest in Poland): http://www.paiz.gov.pl/poland_in_figures/transport

Link to the map with the network of railway lines in Poland and postulated railway connections for Płock: http://img580.imageshack.us/img580/8610/mapaliniikolejowych0.jpg

Source of the above map with the network of railway lines in Poland (website the PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe S.A.; English: PKP Polish Railway Lines S.A.):
http://www.plk-sa.pl/biuro-prasowe/mapy/
 

Dear Sirs, in connection with the facts presented above, again, we turn to you with a polite request to give the highest level of priority of the issues described in this letter, adequate to the scale of the signalled, real threats, especially in contacts with the Polish Government and other central authorities of Poland and the bodies of the European Union to make them undertake immediate actions aiming at the improvement of the current condition in reference to the broadly understood safety issues of Poland and this region of Europe, which were pointed out in this letter.
 

Yours sincerely,
Polish Community


Poland, 2014