YES, in Brno proposes a new variant of the railway station construction in the southern part

Mayor of Brno Petr Vokřál (ANO)

Brno - The ANO movement proposes to build a new railway station in Brno in the Brno-south district near Vodárenská Street in an area currently occupied by a dense railway network. The ANO movement, which is the strongest in the Brno city council and from which Mayor Petr Vokřál comes, is thus bypassing two current proposals for the construction of a new station in the city center under Petrov or in a relocated position by the river. The mayor's deputy Martin Ander (SZ) told ČTK that he is skeptical of all options that move the station away from the center. According to him, this would extend people's travel times.

The new proposal is cheaper than the other two and may also be faster, said the mayor's deputy Richard Mrázek (ANO) to reporters today. According to him, the option would also offer more space for city development. ANO wants to present the proposal to the Railway Infrastructure Administration as the builder's investor, but also to political partners and the public.

The option under Petrov would keep the station in the center, while the construction by the river near Zvonařka would mean a relocation of about 800 meters. These two options have been the subject of long disputes in Brno, which culminated in a fall referendum where the citizens of Brno will decide on the options. However, which option is more advantageous will only be indicated by the feasibility study of the Railway Infrastructure Administration. It will be completed this year.

The third option by ANO at Vodárenská Street would move the station more than a kilometer from its current location beyond the river into an area near the AZ Tower skyscraper and on the other side near the final stop of public transport Komárov. The area has a dense railway network, which according to Mrázek is an advantage. Another advantage he pointed out is the lesser complications in asset settlement since a large part of the land belongs to the state. "While asset settlement is resolved for the option by the river, it's not so straightforward under Petrov. The realization of the river option will also not be so simple," Mrázek stated. Many activist groups oppose the station by the river, and therefore according to ANO, this option is not very realistic.

According to ANO, the relocation of the station to Vodárenská Street would also provide more space for further city development. "The construction under Petrov does not allow this at all, and the river option provides an area of around 60 hectares. Relocation beyond the river would yield an area of over 85 hectares, where apartments could be built and serve for additional projects. Thus, the population in Brno could increase," Mrázek said.

The proposal includes that the existing station in the center would remain operational for regional transport while the newly constructed one would serve long-distance lines. According to Mrázek, public transport would operate between both stations, ensuring fast transportation for passengers and relieving the currently overloaded hub at the central station.

According to Ander, the new option will not bring benefits to passengers. "The public transport system in Brno is built on the fact that almost all tram lines run along the historic circuit of the city, which includes the station. That is an advantage. Any option that detaches from this system will logically extend travel time," Ander told ČTK, noting that it is also not good to separate transport into long-distance and regional. According to him, no European cities are moving the stations away from the center; on the contrary. "If ANO is serious about the proposal, they should come to the Brno council with a proposal to send a request to the government to halt the feasibility study due to the development of the third option. However, that would entail delays," added Ander, according to whom the ANO option could be considered if the options under Petrov or by the river turn out to be unrealistic.

The chairman of the Brno opposition ČSSD, Oliver Pospíšil, does not see any positives either. In the past, the ČSSD promoted the river option, but later former mayor Roman Onderka (ČSSD) stated that the location is not important, but rather that the station is built at all. "I cannot imagine what benefits a station in the south could have and how to connect it to public transport. It is important to realize that the city is not the investor and must closely cooperate with the Railway Infrastructure Administration," Pospíšil added.

Former deputy mayor Robert Kotzian (ODS), long opposed to the option under Petrov, considers the ANO solution unrealistic, poorly planned traffic-wise, and extremely costly. "It is taking the city back many years. Moreover, this solution is nothing new. It has been on the table several times and has always been rejected."