The local union urged all train drivers in Poland to drive safely, at no more than 20 km/h when crossing all railway and road crossings, regardless of the train category.
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Due to this action, about every third train was delayed during the Friday morning peak.
The main long-distance railway operator in Poland, “PKP Intercity,” reported that before 7 a.m. local time (8 a.m. Lithuanian time), 47 out of 140 of its trains were delayed.
The protest was decided after an “Intercity” train collided with a cement mixer at a crossing in central Poland on Wednesday. One passenger died in this collision, and another 20 people were injured.
Leszek Mietek, head of the Polish railway drivers’ trade union, warned that the slowdown protest would cause delays but emphasized that “it is better to have these delays for one day than to allow more people to die on Poland’s tracks.”
Infrastructure Minister Dariusz Klimczak promised stricter measures, including revoking the driver’s license for three months for those drivers who cross the crossing when the traffic light is red.
The trade unions stated that they expect “concrete decisions and real actions” from the government.
Initially, the protest was planned to continue until Friday midnight, but later it was shortened and should end around noon.
