Minister of Transport Karel Havlíček to the employees at the construction sites of domestic traffic infrastructure: Thank you to everyone who keeps traffic constructions going on even in difficult conditions. We bring the reaction of the Minister of Transport to the current situation in the area of traffic construction in the Czech Republic and a summary of safety measures for constructions.
Starting from Monday, the first set of detection cameras on the modernized D1 will monitor if the 80-kilometre speed limit is observed. The six-kilometre section near Velké Meziříčí will collect data for the police, which will then send the committed offences to the relevant municipality with extended powers. Even this year, the aim of this traffic safety event is to calm down traffic in the narrowed sections and protect workers at the construction site at the same time.
According to preliminary information, 103 people died in road accidents in the Czech Republic between January and March 2020, i.e. 15 more year-on-year. After three years in which no more than 88 people were killed in the first quarter, this is almost the same number as four years ago (106). Accidents in which the driver drove at an excessive speed, did not pay attention to driving, went over to the opposite direction or knocked down a pedestrian at the pedestrian crossing significantly contributed to the increase in the number of victims.
Today, the government approved a series of measures to support the transport sector, which is also affected by measures introduced in connection with the spread of COVID-19 in Europe. The payments of toll and road tax will be postponed for truck transportation companies. Investment in traffic infrastructure will be strengthened and commuters travelling between the Czech Republic and Slovakia or Poland should also be helped.
The first Airbus A319 of the Smartwings Group arrived in Prague after midnight with another delivery of necessary medical supplies from Shanghai, China. Boeing B737-900 is scheduled to arrive 24 hours later. The air bridge between the Czech Republic and China is jointly organized by the Ministries of Interior, Health and Transport. The delivery of face masks will be taken by firefighters from Prague to a warehouse in Pardubice.
Thirty important traffic construction projects are delayed due to ecological and other associations. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and Minister of Transport Karel Havlíček will negotiate with them again with the aim of completing these constructions. In addition, the Minister will promote the Line Act in the Chamber of Deputies to speed up the construction. It is one of the priorities of the resort.