The Mayor of Brno, Vokřál, supported the construction of the train station in the relocated position

Brno - The Mayor of Brno, Petr Vokřál (ANO), supported the construction of the main railway station in a relocated position by the river. He told ČTK today that he wants construction to start as soon as possible with funding from the European Union. His statement aligns with the decision of the South Moravian deputies, who today supported the relocation of the station. The second option is to build in the city center under Petrov, near the current station. Vokřál had not supported any of the options until now. The final decision on the location will be made by the government; today's position from the region and also from the city, which has not yet expressed its opinion, will be advisory.

The current station is already insufficient in capacity. The construction of the new station is expected to take about six years. The cost for the station by the river is estimated to be between 42 and 45 billion crowns, while under Petrov it ranges from 42 to 56 billion crowns. According to a feasibility study commissioned by the Railway Infrastructure Administration, construction by the river could start in 2020, while under Petrov the earliest date would be 2026. Therefore, it is likely that funding from the EU will be available for the relocation, whereas for Petrov it is improbable.

Vokřál is also a regional councilor but did not participate in today's vote due to a work meeting concerning the construction of a concert hall in Brno. However, he told ČTK that he would have voted. "It needs to start as soon as possible, ideally with money from the European Union. This will finally free up the development of the city towards the south, which has not been possible since the current location and discussions began in 1928," Vokřál stated. Discussions about a new station in Brno have been ongoing for nearly 100 years.

According to Vokřál, there is a cultivated center towards Lužánky and Mendlovo Square, but it is lacking towards the south. "According to the architectural study, a fully functional urban area could emerge there, complementing the city center with housing for 20,000 to 30,000 residents," Vokřál added. He believes that the construction of the station under Petrov would mean significant closures for many years, which no traveler would desire.

Brno has not yet taken a clear stance on the options for the station. It wants to conduct a public opinion poll first and issue a decision in February. So far, Vokřál has not indicated which option he supports. However, he made comments after some of his coalition colleagues from the Green Party in the city supported the station under Petrov at the regional council. Proponents of the option under Petrov point out that the relocated variant would prolong travel times for people and result in worse connections to public transportation.