“Murderous” closure in the center of Prague. Trams will disappear from Malá Strana for two months
The Prague Transport Company (DPP) will repair the tram tracks between Klárov and Újezd on the Malá Strana from the end of January to the beginning of April next year due to the exclusion of traffic, DPP spokeswoman Aneta Řehková said and confirmed the acting deputy mayor of Prague, Adam Scheinherr (Praha Sobě). According to the mayor of Prague 1, Terezia Radoměřská (TOP 09), this will bring an increased traffic burden for the right bank of the Vltava.
According to Řehková, the repair should be carried out so that the track is ready before the start of the tourist season. “We are deliberately coordinating this reconstruction as the first construction event in the future, so that it is the only one and at a time when traffic is lighter and there are fewer passengers, so that the impact on life in the city is as small as possible,” said Scheinherr. He added that the discussion of the repair is planned for the beginning of January.
“It’s something that has to be done, but it will be a huge burden for the right-bank part,” commented Radoměřská on the plan. She added that the closure of Malá Strana will probably lead to a heavy traffic load, especially on the Smetana embankment. “I’m afraid that it will be really murderous there. My fellow councilor (Vojtěch) Ryvola, who is in charge of transport, is now consulting on what detour routes are planned,” said the mayor.
Since the 1990s, there has been talk in the metropolis about restricting the entry of cars to the Smetana embankment and to Mala Strana, but it never happened. The municipal political representation, which is now ending, closed the passage on both sides of the river on a trial basis in late 2019 due to track repairs, subsequently in 2020 the municipality banned the turn from the Legion bridge to the embankment. This earned him criticism from ODS and ANO and the previous leadership of Prague 1. This year, the city had sidewalks widened on one side of Smetana embankment and a cycle lane created.