Linie tramwajowe na obszarach (po)przemysłowych Warszawy i Krakowa jako potencjalny czynnik ich rozwoju
Tram lines in the (post-)industrial areas of Warsaw and Kraków as a potential factor of their development

Summary/Abstract: The aim of this article is to assess the significance of tram lines for the contemporary development of the (post-)industrial areas they serve in multifunctional urban centres, using Warsaw and Kraków as case studies. The research focuses on tram lines constructed between 1949 and 1989 to serve either a single industrial plant or a compact industrial area. In Warsaw, five such lines were identified, and in Kraków, four. Since 1989, the areas located adjacent to all these lines have undergone varying degrees of functional transformation – ranging from limited, spontaneous changes initiated by individual investors to large-scale, planned revitalisation projects. The new functions have primarily included retail, business services, residential, as well as industrial and warehouse developments. Particularly noteworthy is the emergence of multimodal hubs near the terminal stops of former industrial tram lines, integrating different modes of urban and suburban public transport with individual transport. It is important to emphasise that, in cases of the most advanced functional transformations, tram transport infrastructure has significantly supported revitalisation processes, with public transport accessibility being a major factor in the location of commercial and residential investments. Consequently, a clear relationship has been observed between the degree of transformation of areas adjacent to “post-industrial” tram lines and the change in their transport capacity after the socio-economic transition. It therefore appears that tram lines “inherited” from the socialist period – including those originally built to meet transport needs radically different from current ones – can serve as instruments supporting sustainable development and urban integration in the contemporary city.

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