Brno has marked the shared zone in front of the train station

The city implemented the shared zone because the pedestrian zone created last year was abolished by the regional office. Brno’s goal was to create a more welcoming and comfortable space for pedestrians in front of the station, where several thousand people pass through every day. Previously, a railing separated the tram stop from the roadway, which was replaced with columns when the pedestrian zone was created. Simultaneously, the city elevated the roadway to the level of the sidewalk and the stop to make the area barrier-free. The appearance in front of the station remains unchanged; only the pedestrian zone has been replaced by a shared zone.

„The shared zone is ideal for the area in front of the station and was designed for spaces like this. Based on discussions with the regional office and the police, we proposed new signage. Pedestrians don’t have to worry about heavy traffic. Due to the left-turn bans established from Nové sady to Koliště and from Koliště towards Benešova, only residents from the nearby area around Novobranská and vehicles of wardens, police, and traffic services will access Nádražní Street. Adherence to traffic regulations means that the introduction of the new traffic signs will not increase the number of vehicles in the specified area,“ stated Petr Kratochvíl, the transport councilor (ODS).

In the shared zone, trams have priority over others. Pedestrians and cyclists can use the entire width of the road, and parking for bicycles and cars is only allowed in designated areas. Supply deliveries for local businesses are permitted for 30 minutes in the morning. Drivers will find parking spaces at Letmo, available throughout the day.

Monitoring compliance with traffic signs and regulations will be overseen by wardens and police, and the city is preparing to install cameras during the summer to enforce no-turn regulations.

Criticism of Shared Zones is heard as well

Although the addition of the option to mark shared zones in Czech traffic regulations is generally positively acknowledged, occasional critical comments are voiced.

These comments highlight that if shared zones are introduced without further reallocation of space in places where one mode of transportation physically dominates, the movement of others may become unpleasant to dangerous. Similarly, attention is drawn to the relatively unclear incorporation of shared zones into Czech legal regulations. A concern is also being expressed that shared zones might begin to replace pedestrian zones, thus reducing the legal protection of vulnerable participants in traffic.