Transport Yearbook 2010

 back |  table of contents 

Transport sector development in 2010

INFRASTRUCTURE

Infrastructure expenditures

A relatively substantive decline of transport infrastructure expenditures took place in the year 2010. The volume of funds returned roughly to the 2007 level, totalling about 61.5 billion CZK. The greatest part of funds put into infrastructure was invested in 2008, namely almost 83 billion CZK in current prices. In 2010, total transport investment expenditures declined by about 14.8 billion CZK compared with the preceding year, which represents a drop of almost 20% on a year-to-year basis. Similarly as in preceding years, the majority of investment financial funds was covered by the State Fund of Transport Infrastructure, while its share in these investment resources again increased compared with 2009, reaching thus the value of 91%.

Transport investment expenditures created 1.7 % of GDP in 2010 (except expenditures in local roads and other urban public transport infrastructure. Due to the fact that investments constituted 2.1% of GDP in 2009, a year-to-year decline took place also as regards the indicator involved.

Investment funds put into roads dropped substantially, after having recorded a permanent growth lasting for several past years. The financial volume showed a downturn by 9 billion CZK, i.e. 17%. Of this, the investment expenditure in class II and class III roads, namely roads in the ownership of regions, amounted to almost 1 billion CZK, i.e. 23%. Investment expenditures into road infrastructure also recorded a drop on a year-to-year comparison, namely by more than 5 billion CZK, roughly constituting 27%. As far as other investment expenditures is concerned, a fall was also recorded with air transport infrastructure, namely by about 15%, and also with inland waterways, namely by 6.3%. The only growth of investment funds was recorded with pipe-line transport – it amounted to 70 million CZK, which represents 35%.

As opposed to investment expenditures, measures of economy associated with overall transport infrastructure repair and maintenance expenditures were not too much visible, and total costs in this field recorded a moderate growth. This growth was more than 1 billion CZK, i.e. about 4%. The road infrastructure expenditures involved showed the greatest increase reaching roughly 1.6 billion CZK, which represents a year-to-year growth by about more than 10%. On the contrary, the railway infrastructure repair and maintenance expenditures went down, namely by abut 800 million CZK, which is almost 8%. A downturn was recorded with inland waterway transport infrastructure, namely by 17%. Modest year-to-year growth was visible with air transport infrastructure (by about 5%).

Road infrastructure

As regards motorway network construction, an additional part of D1 motorway Praha – Brno – Lipník nad Bečvou was put into operation, namely project „D1 0135 Kroměříž East - Říkovice“ in the Kroměříž East – Hulín section, thereby ensuring the interconnection of Zlín with the motorway network of the Czech Republic, due to the connecting R55 express road. The completion of the remaining Hulín – Říkovice section is envisaged in 2011. The project covers 3 fly-over crossings, with their overall length being 11.3 km. Also the construction of D47 motorway (Lipník nad Bečvou – Ostrava – ČR/Poland state border) was in progress in 2010. Full profile of the „D47 4705 Bělotín - Hladké Životice“ motorway was put into operation (half-profile was put into operation in 2009). The length of the construction is 18.1 km, and it encompasses 22 bridge objects and 2 fly-over crossings.

In 2010, also the construction of class I roads, including expressways, was continuing. Among the most important expressways, put into operation in 2010, we have to mention the „R1 512 D1 -Vestec“, „R1 513 Vestec - Lahovice“ and „R1 514 Lahovice - Slivenec“, representing the so called southern part of the Prague Ring, interconnecting the D1 motorway route to Brno with the construction of „R1 515 Slivenec - Třebonice“ and D motorway towards Plzeň. In addition, the following projects were completed and put into operation in 2010: „R55 5503 Skalka - Hulín“, full profile of „R6 Tisová - Kamenný Dvůr“ (half profile being completed and put into operation in 2009). As regards the construction of other class I roads, the following projects were implemented, for example: „I/42 Brno VMO MÚK Hlinky“, „I/56 Ostrava - Prodloužená Místecká, project I“, „I/38 Nymburk relaying – project II. and III.“, „I/52 Brno - Rajhrad“, „I/34 connection of motorway by-pass České Budějovice“, or „I/13 Děčín bridge No. 13-085 right-bank fly-over“. Among other important projects put into operation in 2010 the following by-passes have to be also indicated: „I/38 Moravské Budějovice by-pass“, „I/50 Bánov by-pass“, and „I/34 Česká Bělá.

Among more important projects of class II and class III roads, implemented in 2010, the following have to be quoted: „Modernisation of II/315 Lanškroun – Tatenice road“, „Modernisation of II/322 road - Chvaletice by-pass“, „Modernisation of II/357 Vysoké Mýto – Choceň road“ and „Modernisation of class II/360 road Litomyšl – crossing with class III/36025 road “ Pardubice region, „II/217 Road by-pass Hranice - Ebmath“, „III/00630 road interconnection of Sokolov, Těšovice - Královské poříčí“ in Karlovy Vary region, „II/377 Bořitov - Rájec, bridges 377 - 006, 007“, and „II/425 Rajhrad - Židlochovice“ in South-Moravia region. Among more important transport investments in the road infrastructure field we may, in addition, include projects „II/145 Husinec – Běleč road“, South-Bohemian region, „II/201 Jeneč, connection to R6“ in Central-Bohemian region, or „D8 - II/247 service road to Prosmyky I industrial zone“ in Ústí region.

Railway infrastructure

Railway infrastructure actions, focused on the upgrading of railway corridors, continued also in 2010. The third transit railway corridor (ČR/SR state border – Dětmarovice – Přerov – Česká Třebová – Praha – Plzeň – Cheb – ČR/FRG state border) was the scene of the completion of the project “Optimization of Planá u Mariánských Lázní – Cheb railway line”. At the same time, in the Praha – Plzeň section, the realisation of the project “Optimization of Stříbro – Planá u Mariánských lázní railway line” was underway, with the completion being planned for 2011. In the same section work continued on projects „Optimization of Beroun – Zbiroh line“ with the planned completion in 2011, and “Optimization of Zbiroh – Rokycany line“ with the planned completion for 2013. In the section ČR/SR state border – Dětmarovice, implementation of the following projects was continuing: „Optimization of ČR/SR state border - Mosty u Jablunkova - Bystřice nad Olší line“, the completion of which is planned for 2011, and „Optimization of Bystřice nad Olší - Český Těšín line“, the completion of which is planned for 2012.

In 2010, the project “Optimization of Benešov u Prahy – Stránčice line” was completed on the fourth transit railway corridor (ČR/Austria state border – České Budějovice – Tábor – Praha – Ústí nad Labem - ČR/FRG state border). Also the realization of the project „Modernisation of Votice - Benešov u Prahy line“ continued, with the completion being expected in 2013, and a project was started entitled „Modernisation of České Budějovice - Nemanice I line“, the completion of which is envisaged for 2014.

As a follow-up of the modernisation of railway transit corridors the modernisation of important railway junctions is in progress, the purpose of which is to guarantee the same technological parameters as they are available on connecting corridor lines. In 2001 the following projects were completed: „Nové spojení - Praha hl. n., Masarykovo n. - Libeň, Vysočany, Holešovice“, „Brno - 1. část odstavného nádraží, I. etapa“, and „Reconstruction of Břeclav railway junction, 1st project“. Further projects were progressing, for example, the completion of the project „Rekonstrukce žst. Přerov, 1. stavba“, with planned completion in 2015.

In 2010, also several actions were implemented for the purpose of increasing the safety of railway operations. First of all, the upgrading of railway lines was involved, namely where the existing equipment was replaced by new generation equipment markedly reducing the influence of human factor. For instance, the following actions were completed: “Rationalization of Jaroměř – Stará paka – Železný Brod line, 2nd part”, or “Rationalization of Svitavy – Žďárec u Skutče line”. In 2010, also electrification of lines and reconstruction of traction wire and feeding stations was under way. Similarly, attention was given in 2010 to crossings representing critical points where vehicles of road and railway traffic may collide, and to tens of reconstructions of crossings and of safeguarding installations on level grades were realized within the program “Safety increase on railway crossings“.

Inland waterway transport infrastructure

All investment activity connected with the development and modernisation of waterways, important in terms of transport, was also in 2010 ensured by the Directorate of Waterways of the Czech Republic.

Particularly large projects, anticipating completion in subsequent years, were markedly involved in the drawing of available financial funds, for instance: „České Budějovice - Hluboká nad Vltavou waterway“, „Hněvkovice - Týn nad Vltavou waterway“, and „Railway bridge Kolín“. „Adjustment of the Chvatěruby Navigation Straits“ was completed at the end of 2010, thereby removing a long-lasting restriction of the waterway towards Praha. Out of the number of smaller projects, completed in 2010, the “Mileage and marking of the waterway”, and “Extension of the RIS system within the project IRIS II” are to be mentioned.

Air transport infrastructure

As the most important investments in the air transport infrastructure field we may indicate the buy-out of Hangar F from CSA on the Prague airport. As regards the repair and maintenance expenditures, the most important item was the repair of RWY 06-24 runway on the same airport.

ROAD TRANSPORT FLEET

In the last years, the growth tempo of the number of road vehicles substantially slowed down. As of 1 January 2011, the Central Vehicle Register registered altogether 7 221 943 operated motor vehicles and trailers of all kinds and categories (including veteran vehicles, i.e. vehicles manufactured prior to 1945), which represents a very modest inter-annual increase by approximately 0.5% only. The slow-down of this increase was probably caused also by deregistration of older vehicles towards the end of 2008 (due to the introduction of ecological tax from 1 January 2009). However, this decline has not been showed in the register until 2009 due to administrative reasons.

As in preceding years, the number of registered passenger cars went up also in 2010. In absolute numbers, 61 thousand vehicles are involved, which constitutes a moderate year-to-year increase by 1.4% only. The total number of passenger cars amounts to almost 4.5 million, as of 1 January 2011, which is more than 60% out of the total number of vehicles registered in the Central Vehicle Register. The number of registered freight vehicles slightly declined for the second time in the last period, namely by 0.4%. Even if the decline represented roughly 2 thousand vehicles only, it represents a continuation of the trend from the year 2009. Also a decline took place as regards the number of registered mini busses and busses (by 1.4%), road tractors (by 12%), and special automobiles (by 6.7%). On the contrary, an increase was manifested as regards trailers (by 2.3%), semi-trailers (by 7.4%), and registered motorcycles (by 2.3%).

In the course of 2010, the average age of passenger cars slightly increased in comparison with 2009, namely by 0.1 years, reaching the value of 12.7 years as of 1 January 2011. Also the category of mini busses and busses recorded an average age increase by 0.2 years, reaching 13.4 years. Again, a deterioration took place as regards freight vehicles with average age of 8.8 years (as of 1 January 2011), which represents a year-to-year growth by 0.6 years. The motorcycles having average age of 31 years, as of the same year, still remain as the oldest category of vehicles currently in service. It should however be reminded that particulars on the age of vehicles are of a limited explicitness, which is given particularly by the quality of data on vehicles registered longer time ago as well as the fact that also vehicles classified into the category of veterans are included in the above calculation.

TRANSPORT

Total passenger transport performance expressed in passenger kilometres in 2010 declined more substantially, for the first time over more than past ten years, namely by almost 7%. Also the number of passengers carried dropped, namely by about 5%. However, this decline of total numbers was caused particularly by the decline of passenger car transport, the relevant expert estimate being based on data about vehicle-kilometres as produced by road traffic census – performed every five years. The methodology of national road traffic census has been changed in 2010.

Nevertheless, the total number of persons carried, as well as transport performance of public transport, went up in this year, but not too significantly. The increase in the number of persons carried amounted to 0.4%, and the performance amounted to 2.4%. After three years, the volume of railway transport in passenger kilometres increased moderately, namely by 1.4%, and the number of passengers carried remained, more or less, the same. Contrary to the preceding year, the number of passengers carried by bus transport is again showing an increase, namely by 4%, and transport performance in passenger-kilometres for the same period increased more markedly, namely by 14%. As regards inland waterway transport, where particularly passenger transport of recreational character was involved, a fall in the number of passengers carried took place, namely by about a quarter, but the transport performance increased by about the quarter. Also in 2010, as regards air transport, number of passenger carried confirmed its growing trend, however, the transport performance in passenger kilometres recorded a moderate decline after many years of growth. The number of passengers carried recorded a year-to-year increase by 1.4% and the transport performance a decline by 4.5%. In 2010, the number of passenger handled on Czech airports again declined by 1.1 % only, on a year-to-year basis, thereby remaining roughly on the 2006 level.

As regards freight transport, the total volume of goods carried dropped moderately in 2010, namely by 1.5%. On the contrary, total volume of transport expressed in tonne-kilometres rather markedly increased, the increase amounted to more than 13%. This volume of transport increase took place for all transport modes but the air transport. Therefore the figures have returned roughly to the level of 2008.

After three years the railway transport recorded an increase by 8% with respect to the volume of goods carried, and by 7.7% with respect to volume of transport expressed in tonne-kilometres. The methodology of the railway goods transport statistics changed in 2006 and newly also the carriers performing the non-public transport (also involving commercial transport, but on the basis of mutually agreed conditions) were included in the statistical surveys. This resulted in the increase both in transport performance expressed in tonne-kilometres and volume of goods carried. Consequently, the data for 2005 and 2006 are not fully comparable. However, on a methodological basis, the data as of 2007 are already fully. The volume of goods carried by road freight transport declined again, even if the year-to-year decline was substantially lower than in the last year, amounting to less than 4%. On the contrary, the transport performance markedly increased, namely by more than 15%, thus returning, more or less to the 2008 level. Volume of goods carried by air cargo as well as the air transport performance copied in 2010 the development of preceding years and continued in its decline. Compared with the year 2009, the transport performance dropped by 22%, and the volume of goods carried dropped by less than 10%. The stagnation in this year was manifested in the volume v inland waterway goods transport, and the transport performance increased by less than 7%.

ACCIDENTS

In 2010, the Police of the Czech Republic investigated altogether 75 522 traffic accidents, which represents a slight increase, namely less than 1%, compared with the preceding year. Substantive slow-down in the number of investigated accidents was recorded in 2009, which was probably caused by a change in the legislation from 1 January 2009, increasing the “threshold” for obligatory notification of the accident, from original 50 thousand CZK to 100 thousand CZK. The development of accident consequences in 2010 is to be assessed as favourable, because further decline of the number of persons killed (by 0.5%), persons injured (by 20.2%), persons seriously injured, and slightly injured (by 9.1%) was recorded. Also a slight decline took place as regards the estimation of material damage (by 1.1%). In total, 753 persons were killed in 2010 (death within 24 hours after the accident – the EC statistics as well as other international statistics take account of the number of persons dead within 30 days from the time of the accident – this would correspond to 802 killed persons in the same year), 2 823 persons were seriously injured and 21 610 persons slightly injured. The estimated material damage amounted to 4.92 billion CZK.

The number of killed (death within 24 hours after the accident) and seriously injured persons in 2010 was the lowest since 1961. The 2nd lowest number of killed persons was in 1987 (766 killed persons), and the 3rd lowest number of killed persons was in 1986 (768 killed persons). The greatest number of seriously injured persons was recorded in 1969 (9 258 persons), which represents a difference of almost 70% compared with 2010. In comparing these numbers we have to take into account that the number of passenger cars was, for example, less than half in 1987 compared with 2010.

As in preceding years, particularly the motor vehicle drivers were those who caused the majority of accidents (89.3% of accidents) during which 89.6% persons died out of the total number of killed persons. In 2010 the number of accidents in this category, however, is lower by 233 accidents (by 0.3%) in comparison with preceding year and the number of killed persons is lower by 80. The greatest year-to-year increase in the number of accidents was caused by road defects, namely by 46%. In 2010, more than 11 thousand of incidents were recorded where the driver causing the accident drove away from the place of the accident, the number of these incidents being higher by almost 900 incidents than in 2009. The accidents in question involved 8 persons killed and further 862 persons injured.

As regards the age of passenger cars, the greatest share in the number of accidents (19%) was attributed to relatively new vehicles, namely vehicles manufactured over the period 2005 – 2009, followed by vehicles manufactured in1995 – 1999 (15%), and in 2000 – 2004 (14%). The worst score was recorded with the category of vehicles manufactured over the period 1995 – 1999, involving 185 persons in absolute numbers, which is almost a quarter of all killed persons. This is followed with a relatively great distance by a category of vehicles manufactured in the period of 2005 -2009 (14%). In terms of the age interval of the driver, similarly as in the preceding year, the worst score was recorded in the age category of 25 – 34 years, causing less than 29% of the accidents, and more than 24% of the number of persons killed at these accidents. Further more than 20% of accidents are to be attributed to the age category of 35 – 44 years.

Of the total number or persons killed in traffic accidents in 2010, the passenger car drivers represent more than 36%. the other passengers in passenger cars less than 15%, drivers of motorcycles less than 13% (including other passengers), cyclists more than 9%, and pedestrians 3%. During last 50 years the Police of the Czech Republic investigated more than 5 million of accidents, during which 58 669 persons were killed and 287 868 persons seriously injured.