OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPING INTEGRATED RAIL - ROAD PASSENGER REGIONAL TRANSPORT IN THE LIGHT OF THE NEW LAW ON COLLECTIVE PUBLIC TRANSPORT

The rapid development of individual motorization phenomenon has caused a steady decline in passenger public transport, especially prominent in regional transportation.This phenomenon has been observed in Western European countries since already 50-years of the twentieth century, while in Poland, took power after the political changes in 1989 and reaching as the changes in the socio - economic. However, in Western Europe had already begun to see the negative consequences of such a trend, since an increase in private vehicles have had negative consequences in the form of increased traffic and reaching for the increase in external costs, including, above all accidents and congestion and an increase in operating costs of road infrastructure. Therefore, actions were taken to change this negative situation by promoting the enhancement of public transport, including transport services for the regions. Actions taken have been supported by the EU transport policy guidelines to promote sustainable transport. However, to effectively attract potential passengers to use public transport, it must be created in this respect an appropriate offer to restricted use of own car. Western Europe countries experience shows that, the best solution for performing the assumption is to create an integrated public transport systems (organizational integration, tariff, timetables) covering all modes (means) of transport in the given area. As a positive message for the functioning of public passenger transport in Poland must be regarded as the entry into force the Law on public transport. It is, according to the intent of the legislature, represent a systemic approach to issues of organization and operation of public transport in Poland.