Brno hopes for EU funding for transport construction at the new station

Brno - The Brno City Council hopes for an EU grant for the reconstruction of urban infrastructure required by the construction of a new railway station. So far, the city has been counting on a multi-billion contribution from the union for the reconstruction of the railway hub itself. From its own resources, however, it had to adjust the public transport network so that it connects to the new station.
"Now there is a possibility to obtain a grant from the cohesion funds for the reconstruction of urban infrastructure," said Miroslav Hošek (ODS), the deputy mayor, to ČTK. He did not disclose how much money the city could apply for. The infrastructure interventions are expected to cost three to four billion crowns. Overall estimates of the costs for the reconstruction of the railway hub range between 20 and 25 billion crowns.
At its last meeting, the city council awarded a public contract for the documentation for the infrastructure reconstruction. Based on this, it can later obtain a building permit. "It's about roads, sidewalks, tram tracks, in short, everything that needs to be done because of the new station," said the council spokesperson Pavel Žára to ČTK today. This documentation alone will cost the city 18 million crowns.
The reconstruction of the railway hub, narrowly referred to as the relocation of the station, has many opponents in Brno. They point to the high costs of construction, which will also move the main railway station further from the center. The city council, however, supports the project, considering it necessary. The current form of the hub began to take shape in the first half of the 19th century, and the councilors deem it chaotic and a hindrance to the city's development. Moreover, it is said that the existing station does not meet the technical conditions for the introduction of modern high-speed trains.
The city of Brno cannot finance the reconstruction solely from its own resources and therefore hopes for support from the state and especially from the European Union. According to EU documentation, two important corridors - Gdańsk-Vienna and Berlin-Athens - are to intersect in Brno. Both railway axes have recently been classified as one of the 30 priority European projects by a decision of the European Parliament.