Alliance Referendum 2016 launched a campaign for the location of the train station in Brno

Source
Zdeněk Meitner

Publisher
ČTK
15.12.2015 21:30

Brno - The Civic Alliance Referendum 2016 today launched a campaign ahead of the plebiscite that will decide the location of the Brno railway station. It calls on residents of Brno to come to the autumn referendum, which will take place alongside the regional elections, while also promoting the central station option. Members of the preparatory committee Jakub Patočka and Miroslav Patrik said this at a press conference today. The second option is a station at the site of the current freight Lower Station.

For the results to be binding, at least 35% of eligible voters must participate. "We want to meet with the city leadership as soon as possible to try to collaborate on the organization of the campaign. People may have different opinions, but all political parties should be interested in encouraging maximum participation," said Patočka.

The campaign began today in the train station hall with a theatrical performance, and the organizers will also place replicas of tourist signs in agreed locations around the city, clearly showing the difference in walking distances to the current and relocated station. It amounts to about one kilometer. The campaign will also include happenings, public meetings with experts, and the alliance aims to organize a political forum at the end.

In the referendum, people will answer two questions. Whether they want the modernization of the railway hub to be addressed through open design competitions and whether they prefer a station in the center along Nádrážní Street or in a relocated position. "If I anticipate the result of the referendum, that people will answer yes to the questions, we believe that an urban study should be developed first. This will address the area from the intersection of Nové Sady and Hybešova to the bus station near the Grand. The second should respond to the specific solution of the station," said Patočka.

Given the historical context, the most detailed study has been made of the relocated station. The previous city leadership also had a study of the central station variant completed, which it began to call "under Petrov." This study demonstrated the feasibility of preserving the station in the center. Former Deputy Mayor Robert Kotzian (ODS), now chairman of the Brno+ association, claims that this station will be relocated by 300 meters. The study placed the station's focus in the area of Malá Amerika, where platforms 5 and 6 are currently located.

The Alliance Referendum 2016 considers this figure to be a marketing ploy of the previous city leadership. "The key point is that the station would remain in the center and there would be no need to fundamentally reorganize public transport. The station under Petrov is considered a subset of the option for a station in the center. We also support modernization," said Patrik. Kotzian describes opponents of the relocated station as advocates of the zero alternative, i.e. maintaining the current state of the station, which does not meet needs.

Since autumn, the city has been trying to make as much information related to the issue available to citizens, which can be found at www.europointbrno.cz.

The Railway Infrastructure Administration is waiting for the feasibility study to be completed, which will compare the pros and cons of the options and should be ready before the referendum. "It is being developed by SUDOP Brno, which has already completed three feasibility studies and at the same time prepared a study for the relocated station. We expect it to recommend the relocated station as the more advantageous option," said Patrik.

Alliance Referendum 2016 launched a campaign for the location of the train station in Brno

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