Prague, Czech Republic. In the past period 2014-2020, cities and regions across Czechia built cycle paths and other infrastructure for cyclists in the total amount of at least 126 million EUR. Projects that have used funding from the regional and state budgets, as well as funding through European funds, are included.

Proposals for European funds for the next period count on an even higher amount of 137 million EUR. An amount of 23 million is reserved in the National Recovery Plan, with another 114 million EUR provided for in the current draft of the Integrated Regional Operational Programme (IROP).

Surveys of traffic behavior during the COVID pandemic have shown that cycling can be much more than just a sport or leisure activity. Compared to 2019, when approximately 1.8 million cyclists and pedestrians passed through the ten most visited places on cycle paths, the number of cycle path users increased by 40-60% in the period March-May 2020 [1].The regions and cities that have been investing in bicycle transport for a long time were much better off with transport. 

Investments in bicycle transport in the years 2014-2020  

Safe trails for pedestrians and cyclists are being built mainly thanks to support from European funds. Thanks to this financial support, new cycle paths and protected paths for cyclists were created. There are now 4,000 kilometers of them in the Czech Republic.

Where new cycle paths were created

In recent years, the vast majority of the 96 km long Elbe Trail in the Ústí nad Labem Region has been completed using mainly regional and European subsidies. A total of 73.7 km of this length is built in the mode of a cycle path.

The situation is similar in the Hradec Králové Region, where the long-awaited cycle path has opened since April 2019, which will connect the regional capitals of the Hradec Králové and Pardubice regions in the future. The 5 km long section significantly increased the safety of cyclists, who until then could only use the busy road III / 29810. The project was funded by European funds - specifically funding from the Integrated Regional Operational Programme (IROP).

The Path of Moss and Gingerbread between the town of Hradec Králové and the village of Vysoká nad Labem, foto: Jitka Vrtalová

But even the big cities were not left behind. For example, in May last year, Prague put into operation one of the most technically and investment-intensive constructions in recent years, the water passage at Rokytka.

In addition to the route for cyclists, the riverbed was also modified and the protective and retaining walls were repaired. The city's investment reached 1.84 mil EUR (48 million CZK). Thanks to them, the comfort on one of the backbone routes in Prague has significantly improved. 

foto: Martin Šnobr, mestemnakole.cz

The capital is waiting for a year of record investments in the development of cycling infrastructure. While in 2017 it was only 0.65 mil EUR, last year Prague already invested 6.5 million. This year, most of the total 14.2 million EUR will be invested in 21 kilometers of new trails, design work and studies of further development.

In 2021, 17 projects should be completed from the city budget, thanks to which almost 14 kilometers of new trails will be created. Subsidies will also be used for studies and design work, and 8 km of new trails will be built from them in 2022.

[1] Source: http://www.mereninavstevnosti.cz/ (TOP 2019)