Active2&Public National Working Group in Czechia Kicks Off with Focus on Safe Cycling and Public Transport Links

On May 16, 2024, the first meeting of the national working group Active2&Public Transport took place in Benesov; this working group is identical to the national working group Cyklovize 2030, which was created thanks to the previous project Danube Cycle Plan, implemented from the same programme in 2020 - 2022. However, the agenda of the working group has been expanded to include the promotion of walking and especially the link to public transport. This working group includes representatives of ministries, all 14 regions in the Czech Republic, the Railway Administration, Czech Railways, the Partnership for Urban Mobility and two professional organisations dealing with public transport. The aim of the working group is not only to cooperate on the implementation of individual project activities, but also to update the national Urban and Active Mobility Concept for 2021-2030. Furthermore, it is necessary to start the process of gradual re-marking of cycle routes in the Czech Republic. The network of cycle routes is still marked according to the pattern of thinking from 2001, but the position of cycling and the bicycle is somewhere else in 2024. The current need is to connect all communities with extended jurisdiction with a safe network of transport routes suitable for cyclists.

The aim is to identify critical points and together with municipalities and cities find solutions to eliminate them. Safe roads are crucial not only for comfort, but above all to reduce traffic accidents and the number of their victims! The aim is to create a safe network for cyclists with links to public transport nodes (stations, stops, terminals).

Two key conclusions were adopted at the meeting itself. 

1) clarifying the names of the categories of cycle routes and cycle paths. Newly, backbone routes will be designated as national, supra-regional and regional. The new terminology is also used within the new Concept of Cycling Development in the Central Bohemia Region. 

2) The activities of the working group for the revision of the numbering of cycling routes were presented, whose members are all interested organisations, including representatives of the Czech Tourist Club. This group will mainly focus on the gradual marking or re-marking of the main transport network for cyclists, and possibly also other cycling routes of lower categories.