4.2 Selected Aspects of socio-economic change in the ..
4.2.1 Infrastructure for traffic and transport
The number of inhabitants in the MSR is about 1,3 mln, the number of inhabitants in Ostrava
– its centre - is almost 330,000. Ostrava lies within the radius of 300-400 km away from the
capitol of the Czech Republic – Prague, the capitol of Poland – Warshaw, the capitol of
Slovakia – Bratislava, the capitol of Austria – Vienna and the capitol of Hungary – Budapest.
The fact is that neither Ostrava nor the region in its territory has any direct conection to the
Czech capitol Prague nor any motorway kilometer. The speed communication R 48 is
overloaded and the diagonal regional backbone net requires an urgent reconstruction. The
same apllies to the main and the most transit overloaded railway line Prerov-Bohumin in the
Czech Republic. The region does not have a direct connection to any effcient water road. The
transport infrastructure becomes our limit of any further development in this area.
An exceptional fact is that the north-south transport direction connected with the EU
integration process becomes very important, expressed by the IV European multimodal
corridor. An increasing interest for this north-south transport road is unequivocal, which
demonstrate rising transportational capacities. The introduction of the paralell branch VI B of
the sixth European multimodal corridor in the territory of the Czech Republic succeeded to be
put through at the all European transport conference in June, 1997 in Helsinky; it is from the
north through the so called Moravian gate across Ostrava and the MSR, further Brno
(Breclav) to the south of Europe (the original road ran across Slovakia). The VI European
multimodal corridor has run through the region since 1997, and it is included into the main
European transport net.
Main aims:
Construction of the D 47 motorway and reconstruction of the speed comminication R 48
The meaning of the motorway connection of Ostrava has been many times stated. It is
necessary at the same time to secure the rising transport and transit capacities with the R 48
road, of whose trend is perspicuous. It confirms the increasing interest of the neighbouring
countries in the north-south interconnection of Europe, including Scandinavian and south
countries.
Modernization of the II railway corridor
The II railway corridor (name within the bounds of the Czech Republic) is correspondingly as
the D 47 motorway a part of the VI European multimodal corridor. This most overloaded line
in the Czech Republic forms with its transit volumes also the most significant contributions
for the Czech Railway and the country. The whole industrial area is historically bound to the
railway transport.
Development of the airport Ostrava - Mošnov
It is about the second largest airport in the Czech Republic with parameters, which enable to
take the most heavy planes. The connection of the region with a wider European and world
vicinities by means of personal, freight and air transport is a must. The development zones in
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the surrounding of the airport are very promising here, at the same time connected to the
railway line and future motorway transport including the municipal regional transport.
The Odra water road
The industrial region of the MSR does not have, as the only area in Europe, a direct
connection to the efficient water transport road. It is therefore necessary to reckon with this as
well in future. Moreover, at the present time, when the interest of the Czech Republic, Poland
and Germany in solving the against the flood measure (see flods in 1997) is evident.
Regional transport and logistics
It is about the complex interconnection of the regional transport system to the main traffic
routes (D 47, II railway corridor, airport), the solution of the backbone regional net and
general problems of the traffic frontage of the region, including the municipal and integrated
transport, cross-border areas, borders and logistic centres.
4.2.1.1 Railway
The principles of the modernization of the selected railway line of the Czech Railway were set
in 1993, which determine the modernization four transit corridors. In this case it is about the
II railway corridor, that is a route – state border with Austria Breclav-Prerov-OstravaBohumin – state border with Poland, with a branch road to Ceska Trebova.
The meaning of the II railway corridor was basically confirmed by its history and it further
increases in view of the transit possibilities with the years to come. The inclusion of this line
into the multimodal Trans-European corridor is being solved. The speed increase of passenger
trains up to 160 km/h and freight up to 120 km/h will correspond to it.
The II railway corridor
Fast and efficient trasport roads have a stable importance in the all European scale for trade
and economy. The demands in the transport volume of passangers and freight constatly rises,
deamands in comfort and speed increase too. Our current railway transport cannot stand up
road and air transport in this competetive struggle.
On the strength of the resolution of the European Railway Union of the European Union and
European Economic Committee of the UN, the European lines were set and in connection to
them also prospective railway corridors.
The current railway line would actually suit the purpose in terms of capacity and would be
enough for larger transport volumes in the Czech Republic, that are reached at the present
time. These cannot be carried out due to the unsatisfactory line condition, brought about by a
fifty year neglectfulness in reconstructing main means, insufficient maintenance and
development delay. The current infrastructure does not allow an efficient speed increase in
transport in many cases. These were the reasons, which led to the decision of modernising the
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line sections in four main railway corridors. This is the biggest investment activity in our
railway in the 20th century, carried out in the not disrupted operation.
Modernization of the II. Railway Transit Corridor - Břeclav - Přerov - Ostrava - Petrovice Polsko
Basic data about the II Railway corridor:
Commencement of the construction (delayed):
Termination of the construction:
Length of the II corridor:
Length of the branch road Přerov - Česká
Třebová:
Investment cost (price level of the year of 1994):
Top speed of the passenger trains:
Top speed of the freights:
Modernization of the corridor will employ
during the construction:
1996
2003
215 km
110 km
24,5 mld. Kč
160 km/hod
120 km/hod
min. 5000 employees
The importance of the II Railway corridor for the connection of the south and north of Europe
is indisputable. The lines included in it are incorporated in the development plans of the
European railway infrasrtucture. They connect to Austrian and Polish corridors, of which
modernization is also expected. The implementation of these aims will improve and accelerate
the connection of Italy and Slovenia across Austria, the Czech Republic and Poland intothe
Polish harbours, Scandinavian countries and Baltic Republics.
The line section of Česká Třebová – Přerov as a brach road connects the II corridor with the I
corridor, it is a part of the west-east connection. Its modernization will finish the improvement
of the connection between Prague and Northern Moravia, Poland and Slovakia.
The Association of Reconstruction and Development of Northern Moravia and Silesia
initiated the supporting of the precipitated modernization of the II Railway corridor and the
establishment of an independent executive body – Association for Modernization of the II
Railway Corridor Austria - Břeclav - Přerov - Ostrava - Poland.
Railway siding
The railway sidings are connected to the CZR’s net, which are factories and enterprises‘
property. There are, for instance in Ostrava, sixteen railway sidings collected with a total
length of 80km. In the agglomeration of Ostrava itself, there are for example railway sidings
e.g. Nová huť Ostrava a.s., Ostrava Kunčice (new steelworks) with 250 km of railways,
Vítkovice a.s. Ostrava with 198 km of railways, OKD a.s. Transport, field railway siding with
205km of railways.
Technical state of the railway
All railway sidings are functional as far as the technical state of them is concerned, but the
state of some upper and lower parts, and bridges in some sections is very bad and the speed
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limit is often limited. Repairs and maintenance of the critical railway sections are carried out
within the bounds of financial limits of the CZR.
Some railway sections in the agglomeration of Ostrava, e.g. Ostrava - Hrušov, Bohumín Vrbice and part of Karvina, lies in the undermined territory and maintenance demands are
many time higher, than it is the case in normal CZR railways.
Railway privatization
The target date for the privatization of the CZR is the year of 1999-2000. The first step was
taken, and that is, the lease of the railway to the private entrepreneur. One of the examples is
the 22km long railway Šumperk - Kouty nad Desnou in Northern Moravia – association of
local municipalities. Further, OKD leased the railway Milotice – Vrbo for personal freight
transport.
There were railways announced, which fall into the first privazitation in the MSR. It is
intended that subsidies for personal transport will be transferred from the CZR to different
local administrations. The entrepreneurs of the privatized railways will secure their own cars
for freight transport, but the ones for passenger transport are expected to use the CZR’s
service.
4.2.1.2 Road
The road transport has become the most developed transport means and it concers us daily. As
a contrast to it is the fact that the regional industrial region of Moravia and Silesia with a
densily populated urban agglomerations is not still connected to to its surrounding by any
means of the whole four-lane communication of the common type. It is therefore very
important for us that the aim of the Czech Republic is to expand the motorway nets and fourlane motorways by more than thousands of kilometers in the next ten years. The
Government’s resolution no.631 from the year of 1993 specified seven main motorway
thorougfares, among which can be ranked the motorway D 47 in direction Brno - Otsrava and
the border with Poland, where it will be connected to the Polish motorway A1. The principal
importance of the motorway D 47 lies in the road connection forthe region to its surrounding,
including the European motorway net. This investment is solved as a new construction apart
from the current transport bodies, with the designed travel speed up to 120km/h.
D47 Motorway
The motorway net of the Czech Republic with its parameters of the diagonal layout and space
guidance secures a homogenous unit of the European motorway net. The Czech Republic
secures principly functional, operational, and technicalinterconnection with the European
systems, for the geographical position in the heart of Europe predestines the guidance of the
main traffic corridors of the European importance across the Czech Republic. The priority
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multimodal corridors of the Trans-European net (TEN-TRANS EUROPE NET) was set by
the second PAN-European transport minister conference in March 1994 in Crete.
The motorway D 47 with the border Věřňovice-Gorzyczki refers to the motorway A 1 running
through Katowice - Czestochawa - Lodz - Torun - Gdansk (Helsinky).
The motorway route A 1 with the border in Věřňovice-Gorzyczki was agreed upon the
resolution of the Minister council of Poland no.63 of 23th January 1996.
The core of the transport of the MSR is I/47, I/48 and I/35, that is in the south-west-north-east
direction. These main thorougfares are already overloaded today. Even more critical situation
can be noticed at borders Czesky-Tesin-Chotebuz and Bohumin-Chalupki, where long queues
build up for many hours at the vehicle clearance. The overload significantly will increase as
the transport motorisation developes.
The constant worsening situation can be handled by only a principle solution in the form of D
47 motorway construction. This main thorougfare will absorb 60% of the traffic overload, so
for the rest routes, mainly for the I/48 road, there is only 40% left.
The Association for the motorway D 47 construction was established in the area of the MSR.
One proceeded formthe assumption that Northern Moravia and Silesia and especially the
Ostrava industrial agglomeration faces after 1989 a fundamental transformation and
restructulisation of heavy industry. A successful handling of these steps requires a substantial
improvement of the transport infrastructure and the MSR’s connection to the European
motorway net.
The Government of the Czech Republic reconstructed the express communication R35 and
and the 1st class four-lane communication with the intention of improving the regional and
international access, and it connected it to the I/47 and I/48, most of them belong already to
the 1st class four-lane communication. This communication will be connected to the border of
Poland and Cesky Tesin and to the Polish road net. After the completion, it will secure a
fluent connection on the motorway /1st class four-lane communication to Prague, Brno,
Olomouc and the Polish border.
The regional road net is characterized by sections with an average and high increase in
intensity. The high rise was noted in Ostrava on the I/11 (Rudna) from the crossroad with the
I/56 up to the crossroad with the II/475. The average surge of the transport in this area is
about 120% in the years of 1985-1995. The city of Ostrava noted for the same period a high
increase about 115% on the II/479 in the section of the crossroad with the I/58 (Vodarny) up
to the I/11 (at Slovan).
The great intensity on the I/48 Belotin-Tranovice (200-350%) was noted in the surrounding of
Ostrava; also on the I/11 in the district of Cesky-Tesin (160%); on the I/58 Pribor-Ostrava
(about 115%); and on the I/45 Detrichov, Valsov and Bruntal (about 150%).
4.2.1.3 Canal and Rivers
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The MSR is probably only one industrial area of the kind, where there is not any access to the
effcient water transport. The fact is that about 35% of the volume of all kinds of goods is
transported on the European water routes. The share in the Czech Republic makes only 1%.
The main purpose is to connect the region to the water route and enable thus the operation of
expensive and ecologically the most appropriate means of transport. This shows the transport
need of the high volumes of materials, raw materials, but also large-sized products of our
steelworks and further enterprises. The Oder route proves to be perpective, which is
conditioned by a positive development on both the Polish and German side.
The Odra River

The Odra River - which flows through the region is passable in the north only from the
harbour of Kozle in Poland, approximately 50 km away from the state border and the
agglomeration of Ostrava. It is the nearest connection to theEuropean water shipping
route net. The river was used at the beginning of the century only by the industry of
Ostrava. Polish river shipping enterprises (e.g. Odratatrans a.s. in Wroclaw,the main
shiipping line on the ricer) is still trying to offer shipping services to the entreprises form
Ostrava, but there is not much interest in this means of transport.
Making the Odra River passable requires the construction of the drop in. It would be good to
improve main conditions in the regulated sections, limiting the allowable drafts. The use of
the water route down the Odra River would be then possible for the district of Ostrava. At the
end of the 70‘s there were several test drives carried out down the Odra River from the
provisionary transshipment in Bohumin-Kopztov. The aim was the planned use of the river
for transporting big cargoes (nuclear component programme), which were to be produced in
Vitkovice. The ship transport could be implemented only in a high through flow and the route
would never suit the regular ship transport.
4.2.1.4 Airtraffic
The air traffic form Ostrava dates back to the year of 1935 (the Hrabuvka airport). The
construction of the Ostrava-Mosnov airport, as we know it today, started in the 50’s with the
operation start in the year of 1959. The focus of the use presented military purposes. Since the
year of 1989, this airport has had an international status. Thanks to its parameters and capacity
it can take the most heavy airplanes, and is ranked next after the Prague airport.
There are seven airports/airport areas, from which only has the international airport status:
Ostrava-Mosnov. The rest six airports are intended especially to sports flights, although two
of them, in Prerov and Zabreh u Hlicina, have the runways modified and have therefore a
possibility of a commercial use.
A list of the airports towards 21st December 1999




Frýdlant nad Ostravicí
Hranice
Krnov
Jeseník/Mikulovice
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

Ostrava/Mošnov
Zábřeh
The priority is given to the development of the Ostrava-Mosnov airport and its function in the
regional and airport system. The Ostrava-Mosnov airport ha s an excellent skyborne
infrastructure with runways of 3,5km, which can be used for planes of different sizes. The
limit is the capacity of terminal buildings. A potential more important use of the airports
Jeseník-Mikulovice, Krnov, Frýdlant nad Ostravicí and Hranice-Drahotuše is limited by their
grassy belts and in the practise they can be used only as recreational areas without any
sifnificatnt investments. The airport in Zabreh could become a possible second airport in the
region because of its position in the region.
The airport in Prerov (presently a military airport) could be used to commercial purposes with
securing the infrastructure required for the operation of civil services. Its development will
probably not také place, because of the capacities offered by the Ostrava-Mosnov and Brno
airports.
Overall data on the Ostrava-Mosnov airport
Position
Runway 04/22
ICAO/IATA code
Operation obstructions
Base
Passenger services
Cargo facilities
20 km south-west away form Ostravy
Coordinates: 49 41 50 N, 18 06 50 E
Altitude: 257m
Level: legth 3500m, width 63m, ICAO category I., parallel
running track
LKMT/OSR
Operation: 0600-2200 local time
Fire category: 6
Noise limit: none
Terminal: International/Regional
Annual suggested capacity: 1.000.000 passengers
Duty free-shop, exange-office, restaurants, car rental, minibus
connectionto the town centre
Cold store, high-lift trucks, pallet loader
The airport is operated by the State Czech Airport Administration by the Ostrava international
airport company, which is entirely its property. The airport privatisation or the transfer of
property to the city of Ostrava is not expected to take place.
4.2.1.5 Public Transport
Opava
62 800
Bohumín
24 000
Hlučín
14 000
7
Karviná
68 400
1 920
1 810
4 470
2 260
2 130
Ostrava
327 300
450
Nový Jičín
28 400
Orlová
36 400
3 470
440
Č. Těšín
28 700
9 330
Havířov
86 300
Frýdek-Místek
63 800
420
Třinec
45 200
Diagram of the transport relations in the region
The part of the logistic infrastructure of the region is not only the solution of main transport
routes, but also particular connections and inner transport net. It is necessary to proceed from
the circumstances given, that is from the specific dislocation of municipal agglomerations
within the region, powerful potential of large industrial centres, but also needs of the practical
connection of the Jeseniky district and Beskydy mountains.
In the following diagram, the transport relations in the region are shown. The figures given
under the towns state the number of inhabitants and the numeral figure with the arrows state
the average volume transport of persons for 24 hours. The figures are based on the statistical
inquiry towards 31.12.1996. The fundamental analysis of the transport situation in the region
was elaborated and there is a detailed logistic study dealth with. Modern and sufficient
dimensional municipal, near-municipal inner-regional systems have here an undoubtful
perspective both in the person transport, and material transport. Laison system and logistic
matters can be specified at the present.
The future of transport in towns and adjoining regions lies in the itegrated transport systems.
Some countries have already unified the management and planning of transport and even the
construction of the transport infrastructure, as far as the EU countries are concerned.
The unification of the transport conditions and the tarrif conditions ensues from the fact that
tranport in the region is secured by a larger number of independent subjects: e.g.transport
town’s enterprise, (or towns in the region), bus transport enterprise in the region, state
railway, and in the least private subjects. Each of these carriers has by its nature different
conditions for operation (transport road, ownership of transport means) including legislative
ones and following that a different transport economy. It means that the income source of
particular carriers is different given the fact that the personal transport is always unprofitable
and thus dependent on subsidies, the tarrif policy of individual subjects will be different.
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IDS unifies this policy, so that it is clear and the fare is affordable and thus attractive. The aim
is to create a tarrif system, when travellers travelling in more transport means will use one
ticket, of which price is dependant on the distance crossed.
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