Transport Yearbook 2006

Transport sector development in 2006

Infrastructure

In 2006 the total transport infrastructure investment expenditures declined by about 5.5 billion CZK, which means in current prices a decrease by some 8% compared to the previous year. These expenditures create 1.8% of GPD (except expenditures in local road and other public urban transport infrastructure), which is by 0.4% lower than in 2005. The majority of funds were provided by the State Fund of Transport Infrastructure which participation in this amount was higher than in the previous year, namely almost 73%. The share of the State Fund of Transport Infrastructure in total infrastructure investments in 2006 has increased by 13%, and these expenditures totalled almost 43 billion CZK in 2006. Such expenditures represent actual funds invested from the State Fund of Transport Infrastructure budget, including expenditures which will be covered from appropriate EU funds.

The investment into road infrastructure in 2006 remained more or less at the level of the previous year, of which investments into roads in the ownership of regions, i.e. class II and class III roads, amounted to 14%. The expenditures into rail infrastructure decreased in the same period by about 1 billion CZK, which represented about 7%. Total repair and maintenance infrastructure investments, however, rose rather substantially in 2006, namely nearly by a quarter and, of this, the expenses into road infrastructure showed a maximum increase - almost by 50%. A modest uptrend in repair and maintenance investments was observed in rail infrastructure. A break in the 2003 time series of these rail infrastructure expenditures was caused by a change in the cost structure.

As far as the motorway network construction is concerned, the Pilsen motorway bypass in the section Černice – Útušice and the associated feeder lines, including the Valík tunnel with its northern tunnel tube reaching length of 390 m and southern tunnel tube reaching length of 380 m, were completed. In addition, the section Trmice – Knínice of the D 8 motorway Prague – Ústí nad Labem – CR/FRG state border was completed and put into operation in 2006. This part of the construction in the length of 11 km was launched in October 2004. In 2006, also the D1 motorway Prague – Brno – Lipník n/Bečvou construction has continued. The phase I of the Mořice – Kojetín section was completed, creating a Vrchoslavice bypass and representing a follow-up to the Vyškov – Mořice section which is in progress. The construction was launched again in October 2004 and completed as well as all objects not related to the motorway traffic. Also on the D1 motorway an extensive reconstruction of the carriageway was progressing in 2006. This action was already launched in 2005 with the road works carried out reaching nearly 30 million CZK. This reconstruction was completed in November 2006 and amounted to almost 34 million CZK. All the structures serving the traffic on D 11 motorway Prague – Hradec Králové – CR/Poland state border in the section Osičky – Chýšť were finished. The section Chýšť – Hradec Králové was completed in terms of its full profile apart from the last 6 km which were substituted by a temporary exit at the locality of Libišany.

In 2006, construction and upgrading of class I roads, including express ways, was continuing. For instance, the project „I/48 Dobrá – Tošanovice“ in the length of 6.8 km, which makes part of the R48 Bělotín – Frýdek – Místek – Český Těšín expressway, was completed. Further, the project “I/18 Nová Hospoda – Skalka” was completed within the construction and rehabilitation of class I roads.

As an example of more important constructions of class II and class III roads which, six years ago, were transferred into the ownership of regions, we can mention the reconstruction of the II/222 road in the section Karlovy Vary – Dubina, the reconstruction of the Veltrusy bridge on the II/608 road and the displacement of the II/135 road in Soběslav. Under the class of more important transport investments in the field of road infrastructure we can also include the reconstruction of the II/150 road in the section Kunovice – Poličná, II/492 road in the section Luhačovice – III/4922 intersection, the Pavel Wonka bridge on the II/324 road and the modernisation of the II/333 road at Lázně Bohdaneč.

Similarly as in recent years, the most important investment projects of the Railway Infrastructure Administration have been focused on the streamlining of railway transit corridors that secure high quality railway interconnection with neighbouring countries. The parameters of the improvement in question follow from international agreements to which the Czech Republic has acceded and which satisfy the specifications as the Directive on the interoperability of trans-European conventional railway system provides for. The parameters of the modernized corridors are comparable with the parameters of similar lines abroad.

In the year 2006, in the section between Přerov and Česká Třebová, construction work on the leg connecting the corridor I and corridor II has been continued. This line also constitutes part of the railway transit corridor III. Subsequent to projects “Modernization of the Olomouc - Červenka line” and “Optimisation of the Krasíkov – Česká Třebová line”, already completed in 2005, also the projects “Modernisation of the Přerov – Olomouc line” and “Optimization of the Zábřeh na Moravě – Krasíkov line” were completed in 2006. Extensive relaying of tracks between Zábřeh na Moravě and Česká Třebová was carried out, including new six tunnels. This involved a shortening of lines together with the introduction of higher critical running speed as well as shortening of running times.

As from March 2006, on priority part of the railway transit corridor III, between Prague and Cheb, the implementation of the “Optimization of the Plzeň – Stříbro line” is in progress as the first phase of this part of the corridor.

The construction of the railway transit corridor IV on the route “Horní Dvořiště – České Budějovice – Prague” was launched in September 2005 by the project “Optimization of the Stránčice – Praha Hostivař line”. The “Optimization of the Benešov u Prahy – Stránčice line” is another project on the above section – it started in September 2006. Subsequently, before end of 2006, further project has been launched entitled “Modernization of the Doubí u Tábora – Tábor line”.

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 and the project “New connection” between railway stations Prague Main Station and Prague Libeň were also moving forwards. The project “Optimization of the Prague Libeň – Prague Běchovice line” has been launched and the “Reconstruction of the Břeclav railway junction” has been prepared for launching.

Among other investment projects of importance also the electrification of lines is to be counted. The electrification of the Kadaň – Karlovy Vary line and the electrification of the Ostrava Svinov – Opava as well as Šatov – state border were completed. Work is continuing regarding the electrification of the Ostrava main station – Ostrava Kunčice and České Velenice – České Budějovice lines. The electrification of the Letohrad – Lichkov line is about to be launched.

After the completion of the of GSM-R communication system in the section Děčín – Kolín the implementation of the remaining part of the corridor I and subsequently of the corridor II will proceed. The implementation of the pilot project of the European block system (ETCS) in the Poříčany – Kolín section will continue.

The removal of the damage caused by floods early in 2006 was going on within investment projects covered from the State Transport Infrastructure Fund. Also the following actions were implemented: “Rescue of the damp on the 7,472 – 7,591 km of the Bylnice – H. Lideč line”, “Reconstruction of the cabling on the Roudnice n. Labem- Hrobce line” and “Reconstruction of Pivín – Nezamyslice overhead line voltage”.

Work amounting to 523.3 million CZK from the State Fund of Transport Infrastructure budget was carried out focused on the reconstruction, modernisation and construction of waterways, which was implemented within the already finished program “Support for the waterway transport development” and a new program “The development and modernisation of waterways and ports”. In comparison with the previous year these expenditures represent an increase by 42.7%. The following projects had been taking share in such important investments: projects focused on the extension of the navigability of Elbe up to Pardubice, the preparation and work carried out in advance concerning the project “Přelouč II water step” (123.2 million CZK) and “Extension of the Elbe navigation way within 103.0 – 108.3 river km” (101.7 million CZK). Also the use of funds from EU Structural Funds within the Operation Program Infrastructure recorded a sharp increase by 55%, namely to 99.9 million CZK against 64.4 million CZK in the preceding year.

Another most important projects ensuring the preparation, construction, rehabilitation and upgrading of waterways in 2006 were: “Čelakovice Waterwork – reconstruction of the wall of the navigation lock” (17.0 mil. CZK), “Completion of the automatic control of navigation locks of the Baťa chanel “ (10.0 mil. CZK), “Preparation for the improvement of navigation conditions on downstream Elbe” (49.3 mil. CZK), “Anti-flood protection of the Vesňany – Hořín navigation channel” (21.0 mil. CZK), “Děčín Rozběleny Port – anti-flood protection” (19.4 mil. CZK), “Mělník Port, 1st basin – transhipment wall of the container terminal (67.3 mil. CZK), “Poděbrady Waterwork – reconstruction of the wall of the navigation lock” (19.0 mil. CZK), “Lysá nad Labem Waterwork – reconstruction of the wall of the navigation lock” (18.0 mil. CZK) and other minor projects.

In 2006, the construction of the Terminal North 2 was completed as well as the majority of follow-up projects included into EUROPA Projects, following agreement with the European Investment Bank. Total sum invested reached 469 mil. CZK, including capitalized interests and charges for a bank guarantee associated with the EIB credit. Another important group of investment activities was concentrated on the construction of a parallel runway. Here the buy-out of relevant land is in progress.

Vehicle fleet

As of 1 January 2007 altogether 6 472 150 of operated motor vehicles and trailers of all types and categories were registered in the Central Vehicle Register, which represents a similar increase as achieved in 2005, namely by almost 4%. The number of passenger cars increased in this period (2006) comparably with the year 2005, namely by 3.5%, and it already exceed 4 million of cars. The number of lorries also recorded an uptrend, namely by almost 13%.
As far as the age of motor vehicles is concerned, a decline in the average age of passenger cars has taken place in the course of 2006 - from 12.82 to 11.65 years, which represents a drop by 9%. Also the average age of lorries has fallen down from 8.7 to 7.3 years, and with other vehicle categories the average age went also down. The latter concerns busses, freight trailers, road tractors and, after several years also motorcycles where the average age has fallen down by 3 years. Despite such development the motorcycles are remaining the oldest category within the Central Vehicle Register. On the contrary, the freight trailers and road tractors, having an average age of 7 – 6.7 years – have fallen under the youngest categories in 2006. 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 ranked rather among the category of veterans are included into the calculation. Such vehicles are registered as vehicles in service, thereby distorting the average year of manufacture.

Transport

Analogous to preceding years, also the year 2006 did not bring any signifficant changes in the passenger or freight transport development trend. In general, a modest decline in the number of passengers carried by public transport, that is by less than 1%, and the transport performance in passenger/km dropped by 2.6%. The rise in the number of passengers carried as recorded by the railway passenger transport amounted to 1.5%, the transport performance increasing by almost 4%. Also the bus public transport is showing an upturn: the transport performance has increased by more than 10% while the transport volume, i.e. the number of passengers carried in this year, more or less stagnated. The air transport continued in its upward trend: the number of passengers carried rose by 6% and the performance by 5.1 %. Steeper fall was recorded also by urban public transport with a drop of 17 percent as regards the performance, the number of passenger carried dropping by 1 % only.

As far as the freight transport is concerned, the performances expressed in tonne kilometres of all types of this transport mode have increased apart from that of the waterway. The steepest climb was recorded by the road goods transport where the performance increased by almost 16% and, on the contrary, the volume of goods carried slightly dropped – by about 3.6%. This means that the average distance length has increased. In this year the international road transport increased substantially. Its performance increased by almost 23%, and the increase in the volume of tonnes transported is greater by about one percent – almost 24%. In 2006, the rail freight transport statistics was subject to methodological change, and also carriers performing non-public transport were included into the statistical surveys. The latter one is also commercial transport however based upon mutually agreed financial conditions. This entailed an increase by 16% at performances and by nearly 14% as regards volume of goods carried. The volume of inland waterway transport went up not as much as compared with 2005, namely by less than 4% and the performance by less than 5%. The air transport is increasing in a more or less similar tempo as in previous years. Its volume of cargo in tonnes has increased by 14% and the performance by less than 6%.

Accidents

In 2006 there were 187 965 traffic accidents reported to the Police of the Czech Republic, which represents a decline 11 297 accidents, i.e. by 5.7 % compared with the previous year. The number of killed persons did not exceed the threshold of 1 000 and was the lowest from 1990 reaching a figure 956 (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 1 063 killed persons in 2006). There were 3 990 persons seriously injured and 24 231 persons slightly injured. The material damage was estimated at 9.12 billion CZK, which represents a year-by-year decline by 6.7 %.
The development of the accident consequences in 2006 was very favourable, and the year-by-year decline in the number of killed persons is the second highest for the past 26 years (after 1998 when the impact of speed reduction within built-up areas has manifested itself). For the first time since 1990, three years successively, a significant fall in the number of killed persons is taking place. In 2004 the number of killed persons was by 104 persons lower than in the previous year, in 2005 this difference was 88 persons and 171 persons in 2006. At the same time, in 2003, we were already successful in stopping this unfavourable development in the number of killed persons. The greatest year-by-year decline was in 1998 when the number of killed was lower by 207 persons. Again, the above figures relate to the death within 24 hours.
Of the total number of monthly monitored 75 accident items an increase in the number of accidents was recorded only with 10 monitored items, and the increase in the number of killed persons was recorded only with 7 monitored items. The greatest absolute increase was recorded with accidents that happened on local road communications ((increase by 1 834, i.e. by 3.6 %.) and with accidents caused by lorry drivers where an increase by 1 115 accidents, i.e. by 3.0 /% was recorded. Contrary to this, the greatest decline (by 12 130, i.e. 9.3%) was recorded in the category of accidents caused by passenger car drivers and with accidents in built-up areas (4.9%).
Similarly as in the previous year, the greatest part of accidents as reported to the Police of the Czech Republic in 2006 occurred on the territory of the capital city of Prague, namely 34 689, where the total number of such accidents also increased compared to 2005. This is the only region where the number of accidents increased. From the point of seriousness, however, the area of the city of Prague has the best reputation; the number of killed persons per 1 000 population is the lowest. As far as the accident cause is concerned, more accidents were caused due to carriageway defects and, on the contrary, fewer accidents were caused by pedestrians recording a decline by 8.1% and by cyclists recording a decline by 11.2%. Nevertheless, the decisive decline occurred in the category of a motor vehicle drivers. More accidents were caused primarily by lorry drivers (by 3.9%), bus drivers (by 7.2%) and passenger car drivers who have caused fewer accidents by 9.3%. The balance of the number of killed persons was substantially affected particularly by the passenger car drivers – the decline by 144 persons. Also in 2006 the police was investigating accidents when the offender drove away from the place of the accident. Fifteen persons were killed and 600 injured at such accidents. As a positive phenomenon concerning the aforesaid accidents we can state that compared with 2005 the number of these accidents dropped by 20.5% and the number of killed persons dropped by 31.8 %.

The development of the consequences of the accidents in 2006 was very favourable and the overall results are also being reflected in more favourable international comparison where the Czech Republic is nearing towards the centre of the rank.