Prague, April 13 (CTK) – Cycling will be banned in selected parts of Prague’s central District 1 as of late April as a measure to boost the safety of pedestrians in the historical area packed with tourist sights and attractions, the district’s town hall has announced.
The town hall has not complied with any of the 65 complaints and protests against the restriction, including those lodged by the Prague City Hall, the city’s Public Transport Company (DPP) and courier firms.
The cycling ban will apply to the area between the lower Wenceslas Square, the Republic Square and the Old Town Square daily from 10:00 to 17:00.
The City Hall, in its protest, argued that the ban is unnecessary because available data show that cyclists do not pose a safety threat in the centre of Prague.
The DPP shared the view and added that the change diverts cycling from the above areas to the nearby main streets with a lot of trams, which will slow down the public transport and worsen road safety in these streets.
The Direct Parcel Distribution (DPD) and Messenger companies argued that the restriction will endanger their services of cycling couriers, which are environment-friendly and more suitable for operating in a city.
The District 1 town hall said in reaction that the couriers can lead their bikes across the zones in question, which would cause only a minimum delay.
