The municipalities of Veleň, Sluhy, Mratín, Brázdim and Polerady near Prague and the town of Kostelec nad Labem in the Mělník region do not agree with the introduction of the trolleybus line 377, which is to run to these municipalities from Letňany in Prague. According to the municipal leadership, the intention is meaningless, they do not mind, for example, that it would be in the streets next to the trolley. The municipalities concerned sent an open letter to the Central Bohemian governors expressing their disagreement. However, according to the Regional Councilor for Transport Petr Borecký (STAN), trolleybuses are the only viable solution that can be financed.

“For almost two years, we have been guarding against this senseless intention to outsource our community in all possible ways. Our efforts so far, the negative opinions of the representatives of our municipalities, letters, e-mails, rational arguments and attempts at constructive meetings have so far remained almost unanswered. “ said the deputy mayor of Veleň Radka Matějková. Municipalities call the region’s plan “trolleybuses to the fields”.

The project will currently address environmental impact (EIA). Representatives of the municipalities point out that the processed EIA notification is insufficient. “The planned plan is absolutely vague, both in terms of technology and implementation. In addition, you will not learn anything at all about the impact on the lives of municipalities and their citizens, “ said the mayor of Mratín Jiří Falek.

Concerns about disturbing the appearance of the monument reserve

According to the mayor of the village of Sluhy, Petr Moudrý, the EIA plan implies that 8.5 to 10.5 meter high columns with trolleys should be placed in the villages along the entire width of the road, spaced 30 meters apart. “Not only will it destroy everything we and our ancestors have built over the years, which creates the appearance of our communities, but it also threatens our environment and complicates the lives of all residents.” said the mayor of Velena Jiří Kazda. In Kostelec nad Labem, a charging station is to be built on the square. According to the city management, it would disrupt the historic core of the city and the monument reserve.

However, the introduction of partial trolleybuses, ie trolleybuses with hybrid drive, is the only viable solution according to the region. “We are negotiating with the municipalities. At the end of June, there was a big meeting with the mayors of the municipalities, where we explained to them why the project was being created, “ Borecký told ČTK. In 2025, according to him, the emission-free directives of the European Union will come into force in the Czech Republic. “We have to fulfill it in some way. Trolleybuses are one of the ways to comply with this directive. “ said Borecký.

The region had an analysis of the CTU Faculty of Transport prepared; in the thirty-year horizon, partial trolleybuses appear to be the most sensible solution. The analysis also compared the operation of battery buses in combination with diesel and hydrogen buses. “Partial trolleybuses emerged as the most economical solution,” said Borecký. While for diesel buses one kilometer costs about 40 to 50 crowns, for electric buses it is 80 to 100 crowns and for a hydrogen bus 140 to 150 crowns per kilometer.

Region: the trolleys do not run through the whole village

The region knows about the resistance of municipalities. “In part, this is understandable when municipalities or cities have invested little money in cultivating public spaces and getting wires underground. And now logically I don’t want to enter municipalities,“Borecký said. According to him, designers must design a solution within the procedure that will be acceptable to municipalities as well. According to Borecký, the trolleys will not lead through the whole village, they will rather be in the place of stops.

“If the trolleybus project falls under the table, then we are moving in projects that are significantly more expensive and will mean a greater impact on the budgets of cities and municipalities. And it may ultimately mean a reduction in public transport, because it will not be affordable, “Said Borecký. According to Borecký, the investment and operating costs of two trolleybus lines in the thirty-year horizon are based on approximately 4.7 billion crowns. In addition to line 377, the region also plans to introduce trolleybuses on line number 375 from Prague’s Harfa to Brandýs nad Labem.

Trolleybuses could run from Prague to the Central Bohemian Region in 2025. Both selected lines are technically feasible and, based on the expected parameters, are also economically efficient. The Central Bohemian Region would like to finance construction from 70 to 85 percent of subsidies. The costs for line 375 are expected to be around 700 million, for lines 377 it should be about 478 million. If the region received a seventy percent subsidy, the cost of building both trolleybus lines would be 177 million for it.

ČTK

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