Cyclists on the Danube riverbank. (source: SME - Marko Erd)
Last year, Bratislava built just under four kilometres of new cycling paths, falling far short of its own action plan and raising doubts about whether the city can meet its 2030 goal.
Of the nearly four kilometres of cycling paths built, separated cycling paths make up 645 metres, mixed paths for pedestrians and cyclists 850 metres, and lanes painted on roads 2.4 kilometres, writes Sme. This follows from the report on the implementation of the 2024 Action Plan for the Development of Cycling and Pedestrian Transport.
The city wants 180 kilometres of cycling paths by 2030. In 2021, there were 116 kilometres, so the goal is not unrealistic.
The Bratislava mayor, Matúš Vallo, also promised 70 kilometres of separated cycling paths by 2026 before the election — a goal that will certainly not be met.
Fewer projects this year
According to Dan Kollár, president of the Cyklokoalícia association, only a third of the 2024 plan was carried out, a fact they consider a failure on the part of the city. This year, the city will carry out 10 projects in its peripheral parts, with the first one a path between the Vrakuňa and Ružinov boroughs.
Also, there are fewer projects in the preparation stage as the city now has to manage the projects itself unlike in 2024, increasing the burden on its capacities.
"The Bratislava 2030 plan also aims to reduce individual car traffic, something not possible unless cycle paths are created where they are needed and where they will help people switch cars for bicycles," says Kollár, adding that the paths in the peripheral parts are good, but not crucial. He opines that the city's priorities should be elsewhere, such as connecting the Vajanského Nábrežie embankment along the Danube River to Eurovea, a shopping mall by the river.
A part of it - a path from Šafárikovo Námestie square to the Slovak National Theatre next to Eurovea - was in the 2024 plan. Now, the city says variations of the path were reviewed in 12 studies, but there is no final result. The path is not included in this year's plan. According to Cyklokoalícia, if it were to be constructed, it would easily connect to the embankment and provide a comfortable path from the Karlova Ves borough all the way to Vrakuňa.
"Only on paper"
A section between the Račianske Mýto locality and Radlinského Street has also been dropped from this year's plan, even though the documentation for a building permit and construction was expected last year. According to the city, this project is to be evaluated based on how it will affect the traffic.
However, it is unknown what the desired goal is or whether the project will be continued. Some projects were also put on hold due to the implementation of the first call of the Recovery and Resilience Plan, which did not take place in 2024.
According to Kollár, the section should be a priority as Račianske Mýto poses a barrier for cyclists and it would connect the Nové Mesto borough with the city centre. The association considers the 2024 plan disappointing.
"Cycling is a priority only on paper," says Kollár, adding that the scenario that the city only fulfills a small part of the action plan has been repeating for several years.
This year's plans
Cyklo R16 Vrakuňa - Hradská (Vrakunská cesta - Podpriehradná section)
Cyklo R12 Lamačská radiála - Ostružinový chodník, Zidiny (Cesta mládeže - Valentína Matrku section)
Cyklo S480 Spojka Hrádza - Dolnozemská (University of Economics - Starohájska section)
Cyklo R33 Podkarpatská radiála - Horská (Sliačska - Otonelská section)
Cyklo R18 Petržalská radiála - Ovocná, Balkánska (Jarovce, Rusovce)
Cyklo R11 Vajanského nábrežie - Námestie Ľ. Štúra section
Cyklo R17 Prievozská radiála - Mlynské nivy (Bajkalská - Hraničná section)
Cyklo 06 the 6th circuit - Harmincova (M. Sch. Trnavského -Polianky section)
Cyklo R18 Križovatka Bosáková - Jantárová - Farského section
Cyklo R51 Devínska radiála, Devínska cesta (Matejkova, Dolnokorunská)
