Transport Yearbook 2007

Transport Sector Development in 2007

Infrastructure

Compared to the previous year, the total transport infrastructure expenditures went up in 2007 by about 3.3 billion CZK, which means in current prices an increase by more than 5%. Thus, these expenditures create 1.74% of GDP (except expenditures in local roads and other urban public transport infrastructure). That is compared to 2006 a decrease by 0.06 %. As in previous years, the majority of funds were provided by the State Fund of Transport Infrastructure, the participation of which in this amount reached almost 86%. The share of the State Fund of Transport Infrastructure in total infrastructure investments is increasing yearly and the year-by-year increase amounted to 13% in 2007. Overall, the State Fund of Transport Infrastructure invested into the infrastructure more than 52 billion CZK. The data referred to represent actually drawn funds from the State Fund of Transport Infrastructure budget, including the pre-financed expenditures to be covered from appropriate EU funds.

Total investment funds invested into road infrastructure in 2007 declined slightly, namely by about 800 thousand CZK, which represents less than 2%. Of which investment expenditure into roads owned by the regions, namely into class II roads and class III roads, amounted roughly to 13%. Investment into rail infrastructure substantially increased in that year. The increase amounted almost to 4 billion CZK, representing an increment of nearly 30%.

Total repair and maintenance infrastructure expenditures showed a modest uptrend, namely by less than 4%. The rail infrastructure maintenance expenditures grew by about 6%. A break in the time series of these expenditures which occurred in 2003 was caused by a change in the cost structure. Road infrastructure repair and maintenance expenditures, however, remained more or less at the same level compared to the previous year.

As far as the motorway network construction is concerned, these projects were completed ahead of the time schedule: the “D47 4708.2 Ostrava, Rudná Hrušov project II” in the length of 6.5 km, the “D47 47091/1 Hrušov-Bohumí project I” in the length of 4.5 km, and the “D47 47091/2 Hrušov –Bohumín project II” in the length of 4.2 km. Within the D47 motorway (Lipník nad Bečvou-Ostrava-CR/Poland state borders) also the construction of the following motorway sections was in progress: „D47 4705 Bělotín – Hl. Životice“ launched May 2006, „D47 4706 Hladké Životice – Bílovec“ launched April 2006 and „D47 4707 Bílovec – Ostrava, Rudná“ launched June 2004. Construction works were underway also on the motorway D1 Praha – Brno – Lipník n/Bečvou, particularly as concerns projects „D1 0134.2 Kojetín – Kroměříž West“, „D1 134.1/II Mořice – Kojetín, stage II“ and „D1 0134.3 Kroměříž West – Kroměříž East“. And finally, within the D8 motorway Praha – Ústí nad Labem – CR/FRG state borders, the following projects were launched in autumn 2007: „D8 0805 C – Most Oparno“ a „D8 0805 D – Most Dobkovičky“.

In 2007, also the construction of class I roads, including expressway, was continuing. Among the most important constructions of expressways completed in 2007 we have to mention the „R4 intersection I/20 – Nová Hospoda“, „R6 Karlovy Vary West stage II“, the sections of Karlovy Vary thoroughfare, already completed and used at present, the „I/48 Tošanovice – Žukov“ representing the last section of the R48 road which interconnects the cities of Frýdek-Místek and Český Těšín up to border crossing to Poland, the „I/48 MÚK Bělotín – bypass“ and „I/42 Brno VMO MÚK Hlinky“ making part of the large urban ring and, at the same time, the basic road system of the city of Brno. As to the construction of other class I roads, several projects were completed, for instance: „I/10 Turnov – Harrachov“, „I/38 Nymburk relocation“, „I/37 Jesničánky – Medlešice“ linking to the already completed bypass section around Pardubice, and the last part of the set of three projects of the relocation of the road I/7 in the section from Chomutov to Hora sv. Šebastiana “I/7 Chomutov – Křimov”.

As an example of important constructions of Class II roads and Class III roads, already in the ownership of regions for 7 years, we can mention the „ II/479 Ostrava, ul. Českobratrská“, „road relocation II/135 Soběslav“, „II/434 Bedihošť – Troubky“, „III/04720 Most at Power Station No 04720-1“ in Přerov or „III/03551 Most at Gasworks No 03551-2“ in Olomouc. Among the more important transport investments in the road infrastructure field we can also mention these projects: „Reconstruction of the road II/405 in the section Jihlava – Třebíč, section No 1, Jihlava – Příseka, km. 0,000 – 4,276“, „D8 – II/247 service road to the Prosmyky industrial zone“, and „II/223, II/224 Reconstructiíon of the Křímov – Vejprty road“.

In 2007, the Railway Infrastructure Administration focused the implementation of investment actions again on the modernization of railway transit corridors, the modernization of critical railway junctions on the corridor routes, the preparation and implementation of GSM-R and ETCS projects, the optimization and reconstruction of other lines and also the increase of safety on railway crossings.

Construction works on the last part of the third railway transit corridor were continuing and they were designed to interconnect the corridors I and II (Červenka – Zábřeh na Moravě). The part of the third corridor referred to is to be completed in 2009. The Zábřeh na Moravě-Krasíkov construction completed in 2007 also included extensive relocations of tracks. Three new tunnels were constructed. The completion of relocations involved shortening of lines together with the introduction of higher critical running speed resulting in substantial acceleration of the transportation. As from March 2006, on priority part of the railway transit corridor III between Prague and Cheb, designed to ensure a shortest interconnection with Western Europe, the implementation of the “Optimization of the Plzeň – Stříbro line” is in progress. In November 2007, the optimization of the “Planá u Marinánských lázní – Cheb line” was launched.

The modernization of the railway transit corridor IV continued by the implementation of projects “Optimization of the Stránčice-Praha Hostivař line” and “Modernization of the Doubí u Tábora-Tábor line”. The “Optimization of the Horní Dvořiště-České Budějovice line” was launched in November 2007. In the same year also the line section “Optimization of the Břeclav-CR/FRG border” was completed and put into service.

As a follow-up to the modernization of railway transit corridors also the modernization of important railway junctions was in progress. The passage through the Děčín, Choceň and Bohumín junctions was completed. The projects concerning the passage through Ústí nad Labem and Kolín junctions, the project “New Connection” between railway stations Prague Main Station and Prague Libeň, which makes part of the passage through Praha railway junction, were also progressing. The “New Connection” project will provide for high capacity and fast interconnection of the railway transit corridor I with Prague Main Station by building-up two double-track tunnels and railway flyovers linked to these tunnels. In the course of the implementation of railway junction projects within already finished corridors the deterioration of the regularity of the traffic on these corridors had to be taken into account.

In 2007 also the project “Modernization of the Western Part of the Prague Main Station” has been launched. Four railway platforms and underpasses for passengers will be completely modernized within the project. The construction of the “New Connection” will be followed by the construction of the “Modernization of the Praha-Liben-Praha Běchovice line section”, which was also under construction in 2007. Within this construction a three-track line will be again put into service in this section which is very heavily loaded particularly with heavy suburban traffic.

Among other investment projects of importance also the electrification of lines is to be counted. The electrification of the Ostrava Svinov – Opava as well as Ostrava m.st.-Ostrava Kunčice brought about substantial improvement in the quality of Ostrava region suburban traffic. Also the section Austria st. border-Šatov is to be followed by the electrification of the Šatov-Znojmo line, namely through 15kV/16 2/3 Hz system. At the same time, work continued on the electrification of the České Velenice - České Budějovice and the Letohrad – Lichkov lines.

After the completion of the of GSM-R communication system in the section Děčín – Kolín, the implementation of this system on the remaining part of the corridor I in the section Kolín-Česká Třebová –Brno-Břeclav was continuing. Subsequently, the construction of the GMS-2 system on the corridor II will also continue. Further, a pilot project of the European safeguarding system ETCS in the Poříčany-Kolín section is being realized.

In the field of optimizing and rationalizing the traffic a Central Control Station Přerov was already put into operation towards end of 2006 to gradually serve as a switching control system for all corridor lines in the Morava area. Simultaneously, design works concerning the second Central Control Station were continuing. The station is to be located in Praha and it will control all corridor line operations in the Czech area.

The project “Rationalization of the Zdice Protivín line” is in the implementation phase and the Bakov-Česká Lípa line has been rationalized. The project “Remote Control of Lonuny-Peruc Line” is under development.The “Rationalization of Horní Cerekev-Tábor line” is in the phase of complementing works and gradual putting into pilot operation. Among other projects already completed we have to mention “Remote Control of the Railway Station Povrly” and “PZS 3 BI Bohuslavice nad Metují”. The complementation of self-resetting devices of the railway st. Blíževedly is also nearing completion.

In 2007, increased attention will continue to be given to crossings representing critical points of clashes of road vehicles with the railway transport. The preparations for a number of projects oriented particularly to the improvement of the safety of railway crossings were continuing. In the course of the year, these projects have been gradually passing from the preparation to the implementation phase and were put into service on an ongoing base.

All the investment activities connected with the development and modernization of waterways important in terms of transport were ensured in 2007 by the Directorate of Waterways of the Czech Republic. The funds designed for investment actions drawn by the Directorate in 2007 totalled 342.6 million CZK. It was the case of specified actions fully financed from the State Fund of Transport Infrastructure budget or actions co-financed from EU Funds.

Core actions of 2007 were the following: launching of the projects “Road Bridge over Elbe in Poděbrady” (49 million CZK), “Reconstruction of the Railway Bridge in Nymburk” (87 million CZK) within the increase of the headroom of bridges on the Elbe waterway, preparing the construction “Děčín Navigation Step” (47 million CZK). The following actions were finished: “Mělnik Port, 1st Basin, Transhipment Wall of the Container Terminal”, and “Extension of the Elbe Navigation Way, r.km. 103.6-108”.

In the field of the development of recreational waterways, the following actions were in progress: “Extension of the Navigability of the Otrokovice-Rohatec Waterway” and “build-up of three ports and completion of an automated control and of navigation levels on the Bata channel with costs totalling 24.5 million CZK”. The preparation for the action “Completion of the Vltava Waterway in the Section České Budějovice-Hluboká nad Vltavou” was launched.

The process of increasing parameters and reliability of waterways also involved the completion of telematics system and preparation for securing headroom of 5.25 m on the Elbe river up to Pardubice port.

Among important investment actions in 2007 implemented on the Praha airport we may refer to bridges for handling area “North” in the D1 sector, the preparation for a parallel runway and extension of the runway D towards the runway L. The buy-out of Air Cargo Terminal areas was also realized.

Vehicle fleet

As of 1 January 2008 altogether 6 788 165 of operated motor vehicles and trailers of all types and categories were registered in the Central Vehicle Register, which represents an increase by almost 5% against the previous year. The growth tempo went slightly up because the number of vehicles increased by less than 4% in the course of the year 2006. The number of passenger cars increased in this period (2007) as compared with the year 2006, namely by 4.2%. The number of lorries recorded substantial uptrend and the year-by-year increase was 14%.

According to a most detailed breakdown the Central Vehicle Register contains 31 300 vehicle types, of which 14 617 types are represented by a single vehicle only. Further 1 800 types are represented by two vehicles. Thus, more than half of the types contain 2 vehicles as a maximum.

The average age of passenger cars again slightly increased in the course of 2007 and it reached 12.7 years returning to the 2005 level. Also the average age of lorries has slightly increased from 7.3 years to almost 8 years. Other motor vehicle categories showed stagnation or modest uptrend. The average age of buses was 13.4 years in 2007, less than 7 years for freight trailers and 6.7 years for road tractors. The last two categories belong, traditionally, to the youngest. The motorcycles are still remaining the oldest category. The data on the age of vehicles, however, show a limited explicitness, which is given particularly by the quality of data of vehicles registered earlier as well as by the fact that also the vehicles that should be ranked rather among the category of veterans are included into the calculation. Such vehicles are registered as vehicles in service, thereby distorting the figure of the average year of manufacture.

Transport

In the course of 2007, the development trend in passenger and freight transport continued without any substantial change. On the whole, a very modest increase of transport performance in passenger kilometres in the passenger transport was recorded, namely by less than 1%. The number of passengers carried more or less stagnated. The railway passenger transport showed the same number of passengers carried as in the year 2006 and its performances also remained at the level of the previous year. During this period, the transport volume of the bus transport declined by about 3% and its transport performance recorded no change. Also no substantial shift was involved as to the transport performance of the urban public transport, but the number of passengers carried somewhat increased, roughly by 1%. The volume of inland waterway passenger transport practically stagnates over several last years. By tradition, air transport growth tempo continues: the number of passengers carried increased by almost 5% and transport performance increased by more than 2%. Consequently, the almost explosive growth in the number of passengers carried by air transport recorded in the previous period was slowed. Comparatively, the number of passengers cleared on the Czech Republic’s airports is still growing substantially. It grew by almost 7% compared to 2006 and reached in 2007 more than 13 million.

The total volume of goods carried in 2007 increased to some extent, namely by less than 2%. On the contrary, the transport performance by the same number of percent declined over the same period. This slow-down amounted to almost 2.7%. With respect to particular transport modes the railway and inland waterway freight transport recorded the same increase in terms of both transport performance and volume of goods carried. For the first time over several years the transport performance as well as the transport volume declined in the air transport, also the road freight transport performance went down in the course of 2007. In this period, the volume of railway goods transport went up by 2.3% and the transport performance increased by 3.3%. The methodology of the railway goods transport statistics changed in 2006 and also the carriers not involved in the public transport were newly included in the statistical surveys. This involves also commercial transport, however, on the basis of conditions mutually agreed. In 2006, this resulted in the increase by 16% as concerns the performance and almost by 14% as concerns the volume of goods carried. Accordingly, the 2005 data and 2006 data are not fully comparable in terms of methodology. The data of 2006 and 2007 are already fully comparable. The volume of inland waterway goods transport increased by 5.5% and its performance went up by almost 10% in 2007.

The road freight transport recorded a fall in transport performance by 1.5% in 2007. The volume of goods carried increased only moderately and amounted to about 2%. This entailed a change in the 2006 trend when the performance of road freight transport has recorded a significant growth. The fall in the air cargo performance was relatively very important and it amounted to about 14% - volume of the cargo carried declined only by 2.5%. The performance of airports and accordingly the amount of cargo handled on the airports of the Czech Republic more or less stagnated.

Accidents

In 2007, the Police of the Czech Republic examined altogether 182 736 traffic accidents, which represents a decline by 5 229 accidents, i.e. 2.8% compared with the previous year. The development of accident consequences in 2007, however, was not favourable, even if the number of killed was the second lowest from 1990 (apart from the year 2006 with 956 persons killed at road accidents in the Czech Republic). In 2007 altogether 1 123 persons were killed at accidents (i.e. death within 24 hours after the accident - the EC and other international statistics take account of the number of persons dead within 30 days from the time of the accident – this would correspond to 1 222 killed persons in 2007) and there were 3 960 persons seriously injured and 25 382 persons slightly injured. The material damage was estimated at 8.5 billion CZK, which represents a year-by-year decline by 7.2 %.

The number of killed persons increased by 167, i.e. by 17.5% against the year 2006 and from the comparison of individual periods of the year it follows that worst situation was in the 3rd quarter of 2007 when the number of killed persons was higher by 100 persons (i.e. almost 41%) than in the previous year. Also the number of slightly injured in this year went up by 4.8%. As from 1990, the majority of killed persons was recorded in 1994 with 1 473 deaths. This means that the number of persons killed in 2007 is lower by 350 persons against 1994. In view of that, after three successful years, a year-by-year increase of the number of killed persons did take place, this increase being the third highest within the last 18 years (following the year 1990 with the increase by 259 persons and following 1992 with this increase amounting to 201 persons).

As regards the culpability, the majority of accidents, namely 92%, was caused by the motor vehicle drivers, followed by 1.3% of accidents caused by non-motor vehicle drivers, less than 1% caused by pedestrians, 4.6% caused by forest and domestic animals and the rest by technological defects of the vehicle, defective road or other reason. As regards passenger cars, more than 30% of accidents were caused by drivers of the age group between 25 to 34 years. Drivers of the age group between 35 to 44 years caused 12% of accidents. Within these groups the increase in the number of killed persons was the highest.

Among major causes of accidents of motor vehicle drivers almost 64% accidents are falling under irregular way of driving, 19% of accidents are caused by disregarding the right of way, inadequate speed was the reason of less than 15% of accidents and 2% of accidents were caused by drivers due to incorrect overtaking. The greatest number of killed persons (namely almost a half) fell under accidents caused by unsuitable driving speed, 31.5% on incorrect way of driving, 12.2% on disregarding the right of way and 6.8% on incorrect overtaking.

In 2007 the police investigated altogether 17 922 accidents when the traffic offender drove away from the place of the accident. This type of accidents entailed death of 19 persons and other 1 000 persons were injured. The number of such accidents is slightly higher (by 0.1%) compared with the previous year and the number of killed is lower by 8 persons, which amounts to 30%. However, the number of injured is by 66 persons higher. The Police of the Czech Republic registered in 2007 altogether 7 466 accidents (i.e. 4.3%) caused by drinking drivers; 36 persons were killed and 3 013 person injured during such accidents. The number of killed persons during such accidents is the smallest over the last 28 years, and 3.2% of the total number of road fatalities is to be ascribed to such accidents – this is one of the smallest portions over last years in this respect.

As from 1990 the Police of the Czech Republic investigated over 3 million of road accidents (3 191 721) during which 22 906 persons were killed (death within 24 hours following the accident), 97 425 persons were seriously injured and more than half of the million (501 400) persons were injured slightly. The estimated material damage exceeds 112 billion CZK.