In Přerov, a parking tower for bicycles is being built

Prerov - A parking house for bicycles is being built near the train station in Prerov. The facility, which is nearing completion, will cost 9.5 million korunas excluding VAT. Cyclists will be able to access the glass tower, which is 11 meters high, at the end of November. It will hold up to 120 bicycles, for which owners will pay five korunas for parking. However, the project has faced criticism from the city’s opposition. They are questioning not only the cost of the construction but also the procedure for discussing the investment at the council meeting. The city leadership rejects the criticism. The bike tower has become the subject of lively debate at today’s council meeting.

"The construction is nearing completion, and it will be officially opened on November 30, with a trial operation starting in December," said Deputy Mayor Petr Měřínský (ANO) today to ČTK. The building with glass walls will accommodate 116 bicycles. The bike tower will feature an automatic self-service system. Cyclists will ride up to a platform with their bikes, pay five korunas per day, and a special elevator will transport and store their bicycle in the appropriate compartment in twenty seconds.

According to Měřínský, the bike tower will cost 9.5 million korunas excluding VAT. Five million korunas will be covered by a subsidy that the city has already approved, according to city hall spokesperson Lenka Chalupová. Two million korunas will be paid by the city, and it will take a loan for three million korunas. The contract with the bank has been approved, according to the deputy; a condition for disbursement is securing paid advertisements on the bike tower for a minimum of 600,000 korunas. "We already have a larger portion of the advertising space secured, and I believe we will soon have the total amount," Měřínský stated, who is also the director of the Prerov Development Company, which will operate the bike tower.

The opposition criticizes the price as well as the circumstances of the construction. Members from the ČSSD suggested building cheaper bike boxes instead. The councilors also pointed out that two years ago, the city received an offer from the same company that was two million korunas lower. According to the then Deputy Mayor Michal Zácha (ODS), the city rejected it. "It would have solved bike parking, but with parking at five korunas, this investment would pay back in 111 years," Zácha told ČTK. He also noted that after the new city leadership came back with the project, the councilors only approved the intention. It was only at the last council meeting, when the tower was already under construction, that the city leadership presented the financing method to the councilors.

The city leadership denies the criticism, stating that a proper competition was held for the construction. "We are being criticized for the fact that two years ago, a bike tower was offered at about two million korunas cheaper, but the price did not include construction modifications, foundation slab, and so on. Furthermore, the technology for parking has changed, or rather improved. And this, of course, reflected in the price of the tower. By the way, a similar price was also won by Hradec Králové for a bike tower," added Měřínský.

After a long debate today, the councilors tasked the control committee to check the construction of the parking house and whether the contract was in accordance with the laws. "We are offering the entire council a control process that will clearly address this," said Mayor Vladimír Puchalský (Together for Prerov).