On November 4, 2013, at the Marshal’s Office in Szczecin, NEWAG S.A signed a contract with the Western Procurement Group for supplying fourteen ‘Impuls’ 31WE Electric Multiple Units.
The vehicles ordered by the Western Procurement Group have been designed to provide comfortable travelling conditions while complying with the highest safety standards. These modern, open-car, four-section, low-floor vehicles can travel at a speed of 160 km/h with the capacity of 436 passengers, including 208 seats.
“Times are changing bringing increased passengers’ expectations. They expect public transport to provide more comfort and safety. We, at NEWAG S.A., put these expectations on the top of our priorities,” said Zbigniew Konieczek during the ceremony.
The Impuls 31WE units will be air-conditioned and equipped with the monitoring system as well as with electrical sockets enabling passengers to plug in their laptops or mobile phones. Toilets, with hermetically sealed retention tanks, are accessible for people with impaired mobility and for mothers with children (with changing stations for infants).
New trans will be furnished with eco-leather covered seats, ticket machines, the passenger information system with functions such as passenger count, punctuality monitoring, interior and exterior dynamic passenger information display as well as voice information and the driver– passenger communication system.
The trains will be accessible to passengers with impaired mobility, in compliance with the Technical Specification for Interoperability.
“The value of the contract we have signed is the highest in the history of this Province,” remarked Olgierd Geblewicz, “It is a great responsibility, and in my case, the responsibility is even greater because I have signed the contract also on behalf of the Lubuskie Province.”
The contract is being implemented as a joint venture of the Zachodniopomorskie and Lubuskie Provinces within the Infrastructure and Environment Operational Programme for the years 2007 – 2013 titled: “The purchase of the rolling stock to service interprovincial connections organised by Lubuskie and Zachodniopomorskie Provinces.”
The contract was signed by Olgierd Geblewicz, Marshal of the Zachodniopomorskie Province together with Wojciech Drożdż, Deputy Marshal and Zbigniew Konieczek, CEO and Wiesław Piwowar, Deputy CEO who signed the contract on behalf of NEWAG S.A.
The deadline for the contract is 30 April, 2015. The first three units will be handed over in December this year, the next seven will be ready in 2014 and the remaining four (including two for the Lubuskie Province) will be delivered in 2015.