Prague’s integrated transport will be gray-red, the new look approved by councilors
The graphic studio design succeeded in last year’s competition superlativ.prací.
For the time being, the design should be tested on some vehicles of the transport company, after the approval of the complete design manual, the cars should not be recolored flatly, but only newly acquired vehicles or during repairs or replacement of stickers.
The city management justifies the plan mainly by the fact that the PID system is gradually expanding to the Central Bohemian Region, and at the same time is a good time to unify the appearance of cars throughout the system, so that it is clear at first glance that a PID ticket is valid in a given means of transport.
The T3 tram does not affect the change
According to the explanatory memorandum, the new system is to cover “buses, selected types, prospectively also trains (after approval by the Central Bohemian Region) and other means of transport within the PID system.”
Based on today’s decision, the winning studio superlative.works will prepare a complete graphic manual, which will then be re-approved by the city authorities and, in the future, the regions.
Ropid, who takes care of Prague’s public transport, announced last year’s autumn design competition for the new look of the cars and logos and other visual elements, according to an approved document. The jury selected the winning proposal from five participants. According to the document, the cost of the competition was up to two million crowns and was non-public. Ropid contacted the candidates and subsequently selected five participants from those who were interested.
The procedure of the city leadership in the selection was criticized, for example, by the opposition ODS, according to the chairwoman of the Club of Civic Democrats Alexandra Udženiji, they were non-transparent. According to the city management, this is a common practice in similar cases, which was confirmed by the antitrust authority, which did not find a reason to investigate the contract. The plan is also criticized by the coalition United Forces for Prague (TOP 09 and STAN).
“During the coronavirus crisis, the funds should be used more meaningfully for the benefit of the people of Prague. The time is not in favor of this and these proposals seem inappropriate, especially at a time when our coalition partners are also leading a debate on rising public transport prices and parking in the capital, “said Jiří Pospíšil, chairman of the United Forces Club.
The architect Patrik Kotas, who created the design of a number of types of trams and metro trains and who is in danger of a legal dispute due to the protection of intellectual property, has publicly opposed the plan.
The material approved today contains the opinion of the transport company, according to which Kotas’ claim could pose a problem and consult the expert on this issue.