The representatives of 14 city districts of Brno do not want the zoning plan without R43

Brno - Councilors from 14 Brno city districts are against the proposal for Brno's zoning plan that includes an option without the R43 road. It is supposed to run through Brno-Bystrc and connect the city with the Pardubice Region. The chairman of the city council's transportation committee, Josef Veselý, told reporters today that 16 city districts have expressed their opinions on the intention to develop a third variant of the zoning plan, this time without R43, and 14 of them were against it. The remaining 29 city districts have until Tuesday afternoon to respond.
    The new zoning plan for Brno is set to come into effect in 2010. It was originally meant to be presented to the councilors for approval in two versions. Both of them included the R43 road. The new leadership of Brno, which includes opponents of the construction from the Green Party, has expanded the terms of reference for the zoning plan to include a third option without the road.
    The decision has already been criticized by the Civic Democrats, who controlled the Brno city hall for the past 15 years but ended up in opposition after last year's municipal elections. According to the ODS election leader Karel Hledík, comparing a higher number of options is a waste of money and time. Mayor Roman Onderka (ČSSD) previously responded by saying that this is typical opposition rhetoric.
    Civil associations from the city districts of Bystrc and Kníničky, through which the road is supposed to run, are strongly protesting against the construction of the R43 road. In municipalities north of Brno, however, petitions are being set up demanding that the construction begin promptly. Some local governments have already established an Association of Municipalities for the construction of the R43 expressway due to this.
    Boskovice's Deputy Mayor Martin Budiš (ČSSD) reiterated today the demand for the earliest possible start of construction. He told reporters that the traffic situation on road I/43 from Brno to Svitavy is unbearable and is further complicated by closures. The absence of the R43 road is said to hinder the further development of regions north of Brno.