According to the carriers, the repaired D1 near Brno, which regularly faces long queues, does not meet the parameters of a highway. Their professional association Česmad Bohemia therefore proposed to the Minister of Transport Martin Kupka (ODS) that the state temporarily waive their toll payment.
“In our opinion, the highways around Brno are more like parking lots, and it would be appropriate for us not to pay tolls for parking lots,” Vojtěch Hromíř, general secretary of Česmad Bohemia, told Seznam Zprávy.
Since March, tolls have become more expensive
Road workers have been widening D1 near Brno to three lanes in each direction since last August. The long-term reconstruction began with the stage between the 194th and 196th kilometers. It is one of the busiest parts of the Czech highway network, with 80,000 to 90,000 cars passing through the section every day.
Carriers mention mainly the fifteen-kilometer section of the D1 from Prague towards the intersection with the D2 highway to Bratislava and the same long section from Vyškov, but also the last kilometers of the D2 in Brno. “The exact specification of the sections is up for negotiation, we would specify it based on the data. On behalf of the association, we think that waiving the toll is an adequate response,” added Hromíř.
Since March 1, tolls have risen by approximately 15 percent. For the most common category of Euro VI specification trucks, this means an extra 65 pennies per kilometer. “The state is going to collect an extra two billion in tolls. He should look at places where the toll is not adequate to the state of the infrastructure,” the secretary says.
In February of this year alone, carriers paid 1.29 billion crowns in tolls. Year-on-year toll collection thus increased by 10 percent. “The number of toll transactions processed by the system also increased in February by almost 9 percent – to almost 94 million,” said Miroslav Beneš, spokesman for CzechToll, which provides the electronic toll system.
Minister of Transport Martin Kupka (ODS) confirmed to Seznam Zprávy that he resolved the issue of toll waivers with carriers last week. And he discussed possible options with his colleagues at the ministry. “Several fundamental technical things prevent it. We are reconstructing the railway network and also – although this means complications and delays – we do not have the possibility to relieve the transporters of the fee for the railway journey,” he said.
Kupka wants faster construction work
The first stage of the expansion of D1 near Brno will last until the summer of next year. The minister stated that he wants to negotiate with the contractor to shorten the deadline in order to improve the situation.
Truck drivers in particular now often “camp” on the side of the highway. “Waiting for several hours every day completely destroys the possibility of planning driving and rest periods, which are mandatory for drivers. Drivers often come into conflict with the law through no fault of their own,” responded Česmad Bohemia spokesman Martin Felix.
By law, professional drivers must take a 45-minute break after 4.5 hours of driving. “When they drive through Brno for even 4 to 5 hours, they often use up half of their daily performance in the queue. In addition, it disrupts delivery times, many orders are so-called just in time. The driver needs to reach the client’s unloading window,” Hromíř summarized the negative effects.
Before the expansion of the Brno section, the Directorate of Roads and Motorways announced that traffic on the D1 would, with exceptions, be maintained in the 2+2 lane mode. “The lanes should be 50 to 75 centimeters wider than during the modernization of the D1 in previous years,” the road officials said. But the left lane currently measures 275 centimeters in the narrowest places, only 25 centimeters more.
Trouble by 2026
Trucks are prohibited from overtaking in the left lane near Brno, which helps queues in the right lane. “Road workers are not able to establish full-fledged two lanes in the current state, in terms of width. The regulation is already given by the narrowed profile. The throughput of the node is so low that it would not help much if trucks were to pass through the Brno section freely,” added Hromíř.
According to him, it is depressing for drivers that the most complex part of the repairs will last at least until the end of 2026.
Road workers are aware of the problems. They expect that the situation can improve already with the expansion of the existing section in the middle of next year. “There will be a dramatic change, although other stages will also be under construction at that time. It is the most problematic place on the Czech highway network,” acknowledged Jan Rýdl, spokesman for the ŘSD.
The highway administrator is now consulting with the police and traffic experts on expanding the camera system near Brno.
“He would look after the ban on overtaking trucks, which is key to at least some fluidity. However, seat belts or phone calls while driving can also be monitored. The goal is not to collect fines, but to make the flow of traffic as smooth as possible and to make drivers pay attention to driving,” indicated Rýdl. However, he did not yet specify when these measures should start working.
The police are also requesting camera surveillance, they are appealing to drivers to bypass the D1 and D2 connections near Brno. Unlike the road workers, they indicate that the situation could get worse.
“With the planned start of the reconstruction of the D1 and D2 highway interchange, even more significant restrictions on the flow of traffic can be expected. It would be appropriate for drivers to properly consider whether they really have to use the D1 or D2 highway route in the vicinity of Brno to reach their destination,” said Lubomír Sedlák from the regional police traffic department.
No passing
From the end of April this year, a ban on trucks overtaking each other is to apply on the entire route between Prague and Brno. “Of course, with the exception of places where there are three lanes in one direction, which according to our data is about a fifth of the entire route, so there is enough space for us to overtake,” Rýdl said.
Transit traffic from Poland, Slovakia and Germany passes through the repaired section near Brno. “It is such a busy node that we can talk about a Central European problem. There can be no doubt that such a long reconstruction, which causes regular traffic collapses, does not improve the reputation of the Czech Republic in the eyes of foreign motorists,” said the spokesperson.
The extension of the D1 near Brno between the 180th and 210th kilometers is planned in seven stages. It should be completed in 2030.
