The city of Gdańsk is to dismantle a number of new bus shelters that have been widely criticised for failing to provide cover from the rain and wind, as well as having no seats. While the local authorities initially defended the project, they have now said that the officials behind the shelters will be punished.
The 30 structures, which have been given the nickname “shelters of shame” and “slim fit shelters” on social media, cost an estimated 1.5 million zloty (€323,000), reports Business Insider Polska.
Yet they quickly drew criticism after images emerged showing extremely narrow roofs and lack of sidewalls to protect from the elements, as well as the absence of any seating.
Pomokliśmy sobie dziś wspólnie z gdańszczanami na przystanku na krzyżówce Ptasia/Małomiejska z wiatą określoną już mianem „slim-fit”. Daszek jest tak mały, że nikogo nie chroni przed deszczem. Posłuchajcie poniżej co na ten temat mówią @RadioZET_NEWS pasażerowie 👇 pic.twitter.com/QX0fWW0ip5
— Maciej Bąk (@MaciejBk1) November 29, 2021
In response to an initial wave of criticism at the start of the week, the city authorities originally defended the project and the officials overseeing it.
Agnieszka Zakrzacka from the city’s development directorate told local paper Dziennik Bałtycki that only eight of the 30 shelters have the short 70cm roofs, while the others range between 100 and 140 cm.
She also explained that a shelter on Ptasia street, images of which had been widely shared, had to fit the narrow pavement while still allowing for the passage of pedestrians, prams and wheelchairs.
However, on Tuesday, Magdalena Kiljan, spokeswoman for the Roads and Greenery Authority in Gdańsk, announced that some of the narrow shelters will now be dismantled and that “officials supervising the investment process will be punished”. No further details have yet been disclosed.
Main image credit: MojaOrunia.pl/Facebook
Maria Wilczek is deputy editor of Notes from Poland. She is a regular writer for The Times, The Economist and Al Jazeera English, and has also featured in Foreign Policy, Politico Europe, The Spectator and Gazeta Wyborcza.
