Only paper support for cycling: Prague is missing two-thirds of the money for bike paths this year

The document entitled P+ Action Plan is based on Prague’s Sustainable Mobility Plan and sets concrete targets for the development of sustainable transport for 2025–2026. Part of P+ is an overview of key sections of cycling infrastructure to be delivered between 2025 and 2026, along with the amount of funding to be allocated to their construction. From the approach of the current Prague leadership (ODS, TOP 09, KDU-ČSL, STAN, Pirates), it is clear that it does not intend to adhere to it.

Although the new councillor for transport, Jaromír Beránek (Pirates), stated in an interview that he would like spending on cycling to correspond to its share in Prague transport (around 1%), the reality so far is different. Even less money is going to dedicated pedestrian and cycling projects.

Not only funding, but also slow implementation

Prague thus supports cycling largely on paper. In addition to insufficient funding, there are also problems with coordination and the pace of project delivery, and with how the city sets priorities for the development of cycling infrastructure. Of the key sections that were to be prepared and delivered by 2026, only three have been completed so far:

• extension of 95 metres of the A1 path in Radotín
• construction of the A3 path in Kolovraty
• reconstruction and extension of the A2 path in Podolí

At the same time, other cycling projects—often marginal in terms of importance or concept—appear in the city budget and are implemented earlier than the declared priority sections. The result is a fragmented “salami-slicing” approach and a still incomplete backbone network of cycle routes.

What should and should not be built

Another shortcoming is the fact that some projects already have building permits, but the budget does not account for them. An example is the path through Kunratický Forest, which has had no funding for the second year in a row. As a result, there is a risk that the building permit will expire and the entire preparation process will have to be repeated.

The following sections of paths are to be implemented this year:

• Pitkovice–Benice
• Letňany cycle lanes (500 m)
• Březiněves–Třeboradice (Třeboradice section)
• Cholupice–Dolní Břežany (200 m)
• Nádražní–U Královské louky (reconstruction of a legalized sidewalk)
• extension and reconstruction of path A225 along the Košík water reservoir