Prague City Council (Czech Republic) has approved a proposal regarding the construction of the first phase of the new metro line which, if financed by the EU, could be operational in 2022. Currently, the authorities are elaborating the necessary documentations to be able to decide on the implementation of the project for which there are two options.
Prague is one of the most important cities in Central Europe, managing to maintain high ratings granted by the major rating agencies (Moody’s gave a rating of A1 and Standard & Poor in 2011, a rating of A+), and the authorities do not stop here and wish to adopt new economic growth policies, directing decisions and financial resources to support the increase of the city’s attractiveness.
As for all major European cities, the public railway transport system represents an engine of sustainable development. The entire public transport system of the capital ensures the mobility of over 1 billion passengers a year, but the authorities plan to launch new development projects to determine the increase of the market share of public transport and therefore the reduction of the road traffic and environmental impact.
According to the programme for the implementation of the strategic planning of the city for the period 2009-2015 (prepared by the Strategic Planning Department at the City Development) “for an attractive and integrated public transport, the railway transport – the underground and the tramway – is the most important and therefore it will be developed.” Consequently, the length of the tram network will increase by 8-10 km (from 142 km in 2008 to 150-152 km in 2015), and the length of the underground system by 10 km from 59.1 km to 69 km in 2016, besides these projects the one related to the increase of the capacity of the Park & Ride system being also mentioned.
For this purpose, in October, the City Council approved the plans for the construction of the first phase of the underground line D, which will link the city centre and the suburbs Lhotka, Libuš, Nové Dvory and Pisníce. The Council has not decided yet on the route of the line for which there are two options, the decision being made in 2014. “At this moment we consider either the Písnice- Pankrác option, the latter being built as a transfer station connected to line C; another option aims at the construction of an independent line. Likewise, we must elaborate the investment plan for it to be financed by the operational programme Transport, because without the EU support, Prague will not be able to build the new underground line”, said Jiří Pařízek, transport adviser.
The first option involves the execution of the line D, through the construction of 8 km of line and 7 stations, the costs being estimated at CZK 25 Billion (EUR 917 Million), and the second option reaching CZK 29 Billion (over EUR 1 Billion euro). The authorities analyse the two options, including the one of building a system compatible with the existing line (Line C).
The City Council hopes that by the spring of 2014 it will adopt a decision and the constructions will start in 2017, in case the project will receive EU funding by POS-T. “If the project is implemented from the consul-
ting, design phase, etc., and works will are carried out according to the established plans, the line connecting the centre and south of the city will be commissioned in 2022”, indicated Pařízek.
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