Tor Poznań Shut Down Permanently Following Environmental Noise Dispute

Poland's only internationally certified motorsport facility, Tor Poznań, was shut down on April 14, 2026, after the Chief Inspectorate for Environmental Protection (GIOŚ) upheld a 2023 ruling by the Voivodeship Inspector for Environmental Protection ordering the closure of the facility. The decision, confirmed by GIOŚ chief Hanna Kończal, was triggered by noise levels exceeding permissible standards by five decibels on two streets — Magazynowa and Krańcowa — in the neighboring town of Przeźmierowo. The track holds an FIA Grade 3 homologation and a FIM license, making it the only facility in Poland — and, according to Automobilklub Wielkopolski president Bartosz Bieliński, the only one in Europe without a certified racing track at this moment. The closure takes effect immediately, barring all competitions and events at the site.

Tor Poznań was inaugurated in 1977 on the site of an unused runway belonging to the military section of the Poznań-Ławica airport, which has existed since 1913. For nearly five decades the track served as the center of Polish motorsport, hosting international competitions and training sessions including for motorcycle police units. The noise dispute dates to a 2005 decision by the Mayor of the City of Poznań setting the permissible noise level for the area at 50 decibels, while other streets in the region operate under a 55-decibel limit. In the years that followed, local authorities permitted the construction of new housing estates in the vicinity of the track, creating the conditions for the current conflict between residents and the facility's operator.

Automobilklub files appeal, hopes for return within weeks Bartosz Bieliński, president of Automobilklub Wielkopolski, the organization that manages the track, announced that the club would file a cassation complaint with the Voivodeship Administrative Court in Warsaw and simultaneously submit an application to GIOŚ for a stay of execution of the closure decision, with both actions planned for April 15. Bieliński said that if the stay application is granted, the track could potentially resume temporary operations as early as the following week. The track's operator had previously constructed acoustic barriers and adjusted motorsport regulations to reduce noise emissions, but GIOŚ stated that "permanent compliance with permissible noise standards has not been demonstrated" despite those measures and extended deadlines. Bieliński noted that the initial closure order was issued by the Voivodeship Inspector for Environmental Protection in October 2023, and that an earlier appeal by Automobilklub Wielkopolski had stayed enforcement, allowing events to continue until GIOŚ issued its final ruling. The club is also exploring the possibility of compensation claims and financing acoustic improvements to affected apartments in the area.

„This is the only such facility in Poland, and at this moment we are the only country in Europe that does not have a certified racing track” — Bartosz Bieliński via WP SportoweFakty

Politicians react sharply, city distances itself from blame Robert Dowhan, a member of parliament for the Civic Coalition and former president of the Falubaz Zielona Góra speedway club, reacted with sharp criticism on social media, calling the decision a "shock and embarrassment" and pointing out that the track was built on the outskirts of Poznań next to an airport decades before residential development arrived in the area. Dowhan argued that residents had purchased land cheaply precisely because of the track's proximity and then lodged complaints with authorities. Jędrzej Solarski, deputy mayor of Poznań, expressed disappointment with the GIOŚ ruling and rejected the inspectorate's suggestion that city authorities bore responsibility for the situation, stating that the noise complaints originated from Przeźmierowo, which lies outside Poznań's city limits.

„One absolutely cannot direct words of criticism at the city of Poznań. The noise standards are not set by the mayor. On our Poznań section, everything is fine. The protests came from the side of Przeźmierowo, which does not lie within the city limits. We are very disappointed with this decision” — Jędrzej Solarski via Onet.pl

Poznań city councilor Przemysław Plewiński met on April 15 with Minister of Climate and Environment Paulina Hennig-Kloska and Bieliński to discuss options for resolving the noise issue. Plewiński said he hoped the matter could be resolved within "a few weeks," though he acknowledged that much depends on the position of Poznań Mayor Jacek Jaśkowiak. Dowhan also drew a pointed political connection, noting that the GIOŚ decision coincided with a forthcoming vote of no confidence in Minister Hennig-Kloska in the Sejm.

„On one hand, they have gone mad in my government and are outdoing each other in fines and restrictions for drivers, and on the other hand this...” — Robert Dowhan via WP SportoweFakty

GIOŚ says law left no room for a different ruling GIOŚ defended its decision as legally mandatory, stating that under the applicable provisions of Poland's Environmental Protection Law, the inspectorate is obliged to suspend the operation of an installation when violations are not eliminated within a designated period, and that "the Environmental Protection Inspection authorities had no possibility of reaching a different decision." The inspectorate also clarified that it does not set noise standards — that authority rests with local government — and that its role is solely to verify compliance with standards already established by city authorities. GIOŚ simultaneously noted that the regulations allow for the resumption of the track's activities if the causes of the violations are effectively removed and confirmed by appropriate measurements, leaving open a path to reopening. The broader urban planning dimension of the dispute drew comment from analysts, with the forsal.pl portal citing urban planner Dr. Łukasz Drozda, who argued that the conflict is a consequence of spatial chaos — authorities permitted cities to sprawl without strategy, and facilities like Tor Poznań and the nearby Poznań-Ławica airport now face restrictions as a result. The closure also affects non-motorsport users of the facility, including roller skaters, runners, and cyclists, as well as police driver-training programs conducted at the track. The Ministry of Sport indicated support for Automobilklub Wielkopolski's position, with Bieliński confirming he had spoken with Deputy Minister Piotr Borys about the situation.

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