Warsaw has suspended its contract with transportation company Arriva after two accidents within a fortnight, including a fatal one. Both involved bus drivers who subsequently tested positive for drugs.
The issue has also become politicised, as Warsaw’s mayor, Rafał Trzaskowski, is the opposition candidate in this Sunday’s presidential run-off election against incumbent Andrzej Duda. City hall and the government have been blaming one another for the failure to drug test drivers.
“After a meeting between the authorities of Warsaw and the firm Arriva Polska, we have suspended contacts with the provider,” said city spokeswoman Karolina Gałecka. “For now, connections will be served by other carriers.”
Gałecka added that the city “expects the company to test drivers and certify that they are not using pscyhoactive substances”.
Po spotkaniu władz @warszawa z firmą @ArrivaPolska zawiesiliśmy umowy z wykonawcą. Oczekujemy od firmy przetestowania kierowców i zaświadczenia, że nie zażywają oni substancji psychoaktywnych. W tym czasie połączenia obsługiwać będą pozostali przewoźnicy @WTP_Warszawa
— Karolina Gałecka (@K_Galecka) July 7, 2020
The announcement followed an incident on Tuesday morning in which a bus operated by Arriva – a British-based firm that is a subsidiary of Germany’s Deutsche Bahn – went off the road and crashed into parked cars and a lamppost, reports TVP Info.
A single passenger was harmed, but was released released from hospital later the same day. When police conducted tests on the 25-year-old driver, he was found to have traces of methamphetamine in his system. RMF24 reports that he also has “several road offences” on his record.
Zatrzymano kierowcę autobusu linii 181, który na ul. Klaudyny uderzył w 4 zaparkowane pojazdy i latarnię. Badanie trzeźwości dało wynik ujemny, jednak tester narkotykowy wskazał na obecność metaamfetaminy w pobranej próbce. Mężczyźnie pobrano w szpitalu do badań krew i mocz.
— Policja Warszawa (@Policja_KSP) July 7, 2020
The accident follows a much more tragic one on 27 June, when another Arriva-run bus skidded off a fly-over on the Grota-Roweckiego Bridge, crashing onto the street below. One passenger, an elderly woman, was killed while over 20 more were injured.
The driver in that incident also tested positive for methamphetamine. He was reported to have a record of road offences that had previously led to him losing his driving licence.
The driver of the bus that fell off a bridge in Warsaw yesterday, killing one passenger and injuring others, was reportedly under the influence of amphetamines.
He also reportedly once lost his driving licence for accumulating too many penalty points https://t.co/lgLvJiDjyr
— Notes from Poland 🇵🇱 (@notesfrompoland) June 26, 2020
Following yesterday’s incident, the prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, expressed concern over the safety of the citizens of Warsaw.
“There was yet another dangerous bus accident in Warsaw. For the second time the driver was under the influence of drugs. How is it possible that in such a short time a second driver endangers the lives of passengers? What is the supervision of the quality of public transportation?” he asked.
Morawiecki, whose Law and Justice (PiS) party is supporting the re-election of President Duda, went on to question Trzaskowski over his role.
“Mr Trzaskowski, what safeguards and oversight did you implement to prevent accidents?” asked the prime minister. “Has the German Arriva introduced a remedial plan?”
W różnych miejscach zdarzają się błędy. Sztuką rządzenia jest umiejętność wyciągania wniosków.
Panie Trzaskowski jakie zabezpieczenia i kontrole, co zrobiliście żeby zapobiec wypadkom? Czy niemiecka Arriva wprowadziła plan naprawczy?
Chodzi o to, żeby odpowiadać na takie pytania— Mateusz Morawiecki (@MorawieckiM) July 7, 2020
In response, Warsaw spokeswoman Gałecka pointed that, following the first accident, the city had written to the prime minister asking for legislation that would allow drug testing of drivers. She said that Morawiecki still has not replied.
“According to the current regulations we are not allowed to the conduct such tests on drivers”, explained Robert Soszyński, a deputy mayor of Warsaw, to Polsat News.
Gałecka noted that city’s agreement with operators includes the possibility of drug testing, but that this is not yet allowed under privacy law. The authorities can only call in police to conduct a drug test if they suspect a specific driver of being under the influence.
Po wypadku autobusu na moście Grota-Roweckiego @warszawa wystosowała pismo do premiera o pilne zmiany legislacyjne dotyczące możliwości kontroli kierowców na obecność substancji psychoaktywnych. Do dzisiaj nie otrzymaliśmy żadnej odpowiedzi.
— Karolina Gałecka (@K_Galecka) July 7, 2020
Arriva itself confirmed the situation, telling TVN that it too had written to the government calling for a change in the law. Nevertheless, the firm said that, in order to ensure the safety of passengers, it had now introduced drug testing for drivers despite the current lack of legal provisions for it.
“None of our drivers will get behind the wheel of a bus without going through a test,” said Joanna Parzniewska, a spokeswoman for Arriva, quoted by TVP Info. “If they refuse, they will be removed from their duties.”
The government’s spokesman, Piotr Müller, however, accused Warsaw of trying to “blame the government for its failures”. He claimed that all the city needed to do was change its labour regulations to allow drug testing.
Meanwhile, the Warsaw mayor’s office says that it may withdraw Arriva’s contract entirely. “We would be looking for another contractor if these [drug test] results are confirmed,” Trzaskowski told TVN, promising that he would “react firmly”. He also called on the government to change the relevant laws.
Main image credit: Dariusz Borowicz / Agencja Gazeta
Agnieszka Wądołowska is deputy editor of Notes from Poland. She has previously worked for Gazeta.pl and Tokfm.pl and contributed to Gazeta Wyborcza, Wysokie Obcasy, Duży Format, Midrasz and Kultura Liberalna
