“Prague has launched a campaign.” The opposition and Pospíšil criticize the timing of the O metro project
The dusty project for the construction of a new line of the Prague metro (round line O) at a time when municipal elections are approaching is provoking contradictions between politics. Prague announced last week that it would strive to prepare for the construction of this transport project, which is approved by the political spectrum and transport experts, but the opposition and part of the municipal coalition criticize the timing of the publication of this project.
One of these politicians is Jiří Pospíšil, chairman of Prague’s TOP 09, which has been in a coalition with Prague itself, Pirates and STAN for the last four years, but Pospíšil has repeatedly criticized his coalition partners for some steps and will now run against them in the Together coalition. with the ODS, which was still in opposition.
“Our coalition partners have launched a presentation of projects that are interesting as an idea, but are projects that will be feasible for the next generation of politicians. This is a project that was already debated here in the 1980s and it certainly has its justification, but we must realistically say that it is a project that will not be implemented in the coming years, “he told the daily Echo24.
According to Pospíšil, the presentation of this project before the elections may cause erroneous expectations that this project could cover the next election period. “As soon as the expectation is created that someone will build metro O here in the 8-10 horizon and then it becomes clear that this is not possible, it logically annoys the citizens and causes disappointment,” says the municipal politician, who also acts as an MEP.
The dusting up of the idea for metro O attributes the beginning of the election campaign. Municipal elections await the Czechia this autumn. “I understand that Prague has started campaigning for itself, and when there are not many real results in the field of transport, it presents such a see. It’s nice, I understand their tactics, but I point out that it can lead to some disillusionment for some citizens. Metro D is not ready and we are already talking about such a project, “added Pospíšil. He also pointed out that the capital still has not finished the Prague ring road.
The ODS Democrat is a little reconciling, but he claims that Prague has dusted off a project that was created under the mayors of the civic community. “As a constructive opposition, we must praise our colleagues from Prague. They dusted off studies from the time when Prague was run by mayors under the ODS, who planned to build a subway ring around the city center, “said the mayor of Prague 13 and the ODS city councilor David Vodrážka. He added that the ODS has been supporting a similar vision for many years.
On the contrary, the chairman of the Prague YES and a probable candidate for mayor, Ondřej Prokop, Prague accused himself of being a pre-election marketing idea. “It makes sense, but it is a pity that it presents it more or less a minute before the election without any wider discussion with experts. So it’s a good idea, but basically more pre-election marketing, which I don’t think is entirely recommended, “he said. He added that, based on previous experience, implementation could be expected within 30 years if preparations began. “So it would also be good to say what will be done for those 30 years for transport in Prague,” the politician added.
The mayor’s deputy for transport, Adam Scheinherr (Prague Sobě), responds to criticism from the opposition and part of the coalition. “The plan of the metro station is not a new idea in Prague. It is funny that colleagues from the opposition suddenly support this idea when we have announced that we want to be the first to examine it in all seriousness. Why didn’t they propose it to the people of Prague before? They had plenty of time for that. And the YES movement? We plan to examine key projects for the future of Prague transport, which experts clearly say make sense. I probably do not even value the criticism from those to whom their marketing team advised the nurses on the Libeň Bridge, bridge.
Metro O would relieve the center, experts say
Transport experts also see meaning in the new metro line. According to Martin Všetečka from the Department of Roads, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Brno University of Technology, it is relatively common in large cities not to build all metro lines just to the center. He sees the overload of sections in the central part of the city and shortened routes outside the center as the main reasons for this. “Of course, it has a lot to do with the city’s urbanism, that is, whether it is more monocentric or more polycentric,” he said. According to him, the construction of roundabouts can often support the development of other areas of the city. According to Všetečka, the current load on the metro in Prague has reached a point where, in his opinion, it is reasonable to deal with the issue of the roundabout. He emphasized that so far it was only an inspection, not a commission.
According to Milan Kříž from the Department of Logistics and Transport Management, the Faculty of Transport at the Czech Technical University all indicates that the population of Prague and its surroundings will grow in the future. It is necessary to respond to this in spatial and transport planning, he said. At the same time, he reminded that the project of the roundabout in Prague is still visible, while several studies of the project may emerge from the study, which will have different effects on the subsequent transport and the zoning plan. According to him, the possible construction of a new line should be based on the balance between spatial and transport planning in the city, as well as on political and social consensus.
The experts agreed that the question of whether a similar roundabout in Prague is realistic at all will be answered by the forthcoming feasibility study. According to Kříž, it is correct that the study is already being considered, because sometimes a situation arises where a solution is adopted in advance, which then turns out to be economically inefficient in the study. Všetečka stated in this context that it is still premature to talk about a specific line management before the study is prepared. The feasibility study just entered should answer the most suitable specific route route.
The new line should lead from Podbaba Railway Station via Dejvice, Smíchov, Dvorce, Budějovická, Vršovice, Žižkov, Vysočany, Čakovice and then in the second phase north back to Podbaba. Scheinherr stated that the initial design of the line would measure about 36 kilometers and there would be 23 stations, the first part between Podbaba and Čakovice would be 26 kilometers with 18 stations.
According to the deputy, the roundabout line would significantly shorten the public transport route between neighboring parts of Prague and at the same time provide public transport connections for the area with planned construction, where housing for more than a quarter of a million people should be created in the coming decades.