The Railway Administration will close the bridge over the Vltava in Prague for freight trains, they will be diverted via České Budějovice
At the same time, the railway administration moved the closure on the Branické bridge.
Due to its poor condition, the Railway Administration will significantly reduce traffic on the Vytoň Bridge. After negotiations with the Railway Administration, the association of railway freight carriers ŽESNAD.cz informed its members about this. We are investigating the opinion of the Railway Administration.
“Starting on February 15, 2023, track class C2 will be introduced on the bridge, and with that, freight traffic will basically end here.” stated ŽESNAD.cz in the newsletter. At the same time, the planned closure on the Branické bridge (also known as the Intelligence bridge) will be postponed by four months. Start in October this year and last until April next year at a complete standstill.
The carriers do not hide their indignation. It was previously discussed that this continuous shutdown of the Intelligence Bridge would begin in June 2023 and end in December of that year. During it, it was planned to run regular freight trains over the Vytoňský most in track class C3. This plan is definitely falling apart and the western part of the Czech Republic will essentially be cut off from the rest of the network for freight transport.
“We originally expected that during the period of the so-called non-rail traffic on Most Intelligence we would at least partially drive through Výtoň at least at night, which thus falls,” added the executive director of ŽESNAD.cz, Oldřich Sládek.
Carriers are threatened that, for example, from Beroun to the other bank of the Vltava they will have to go through Pilsen, to Český Budějovice to Nemanice and then to Prague. “Since every delay in the repair of the Branické bridge leads to a higher risk of complete impassability of Prague, we cannot agree to the postponement of the road closures just because it was not discussed with the carriers,” added Sládek. Freight carriers agreed with the diversion of most trains, but with the original plan of blocking the Branické most. However, it was expected that the bridge over Vytoň would be partially opened. Deterioration of the bridge could also stop passenger traffic.
The railway administration plans to demolish most and build a new one. Very bad condition of the bridge an extraordinary inspection in December showed. Transport Minister Martin Kupka said last week that his still want to check the status.
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