The EU will provide over half a billion crowns for the renovation of the terminal in Ostrava-Svinov

Ostrava - The city of Ostrava will receive more than half a billion crowns from European sources for the renovation of the transfer terminal at the train station in the Svinov district. The Regional Council of Moravian-Silesian Region, which redistributes European funds, approved subsidies for this project today, said the council spokesman Michal Sobek to ČTK.
    Over the course of two years, not only the area in front of the train station at Svinov Bridges will be completely transformed, but also Bílovecká and Peterkova Streets. The total cost of the modifications will exceed 621 million crowns, and the EU will contribute 568 million through the Regional Operational Program Moravian-Silesian (ROP). "The project will ensure comfortable transfers for passengers and connect urban public transport and pedestrian traffic to the already reconstructed train station," Sobek stated.
    He added that the modification of the area will be divided into two phases. In the first phase, the passage under the Svinov Bridges will be opened along the route of the new extension of Peterkova Street next year. This will be followed by the second part, during which, for example, the stair towers, elevators, and escalators in the Svinov Bridges building, as well as tram and bus stops, will be modernized.
    The extension of Peterkova Street will also be completed. New bus stops will be added under the Svinov Bridges, pedestrian paths along the railway tracks, and fencing. Everything is expected to be completed by the end of 2011.
    "The Svinov terminal is the most significant transport hub in the Moravian-Silesian Region, the gateway to the city and the region. Thousands of people pass through here daily. However, the technical and safety condition and the aesthetic appearance of the terminal do not currently reflect that. The amount of the subsidy and the total investment are therefore directly proportional to the importance of the entire area," said Deputy Mayor Zdeněk Trejbal.
    Approximately two billion crowns, or about one-tenth of all the funds, are allocated in the ROP for the development of transport services in the region until 2013. In January next year, the regional council will be accepting projects focused on acquiring railway rolling stock and also buses for urban and suburban transport. It aims to release a total of up to 810 million crowns.