The Brno Transport Company (DPMB) today launched a large-scale modernization of the bus and trolleybus depot in Slatina, with the aim of providing greater capacity, more modern facilities, and more sustainable and efficient operation. The project includes the construction of a new two-storey parking facility for buses and trolleybuses, the renovation of technical facilities, and modifications to the area’s transport connections. The construction was inaugurated earlier today with the tapping of the foundation stone, and should be completed in mid-2028.
As part of the modernization of the depot, a new gatehouse and driver’s dispatch room will be added, as well as a hall for daily maintenance and treatment of vehicles, equipped with the latest technologies for vehicle diagnostics, monitoring of their technical condition, and rapid detection of faults. The dominant feature of the construction will be a two-storey, 32,000 sq.m parking facility, increasing the trolleybus capacity of the facility from 43 to 75. The number of buses which can park at the site will remain around 100.
Slatina, as one of the gateways to the city, will thus get a new important architectural landmark. According to Petr Kratochvíl, Brno city councillor for transport, the facade of the depot, with neon stripes inspired by 1950s America, will be especially distinctive, returning symbolically to the period of belief in the progress of motoring and technology. The dkarchiteki studio is behind the design of the depot.
The project also emphasizes sustainability, according to Miloš Havránek, General Director of the DPMB. A photovoltaic power plant will be installed on the roof of the parking facility, allowing the depot to produce its own energy and contributing to reduced operating costs and ecological footprint.
All work will be carried out with the depot in full operation, according to Radek Nepustil, project manager of GEMO a.s., the general contractor of the construction. “Implementing such a large-scale project while in full operation is always a technical and organizational challenge,” he said. “During the work, it will be necessary to make a number of rearrangements of utility networks, temporarily move some operational parts, and adjust the logistical movement of buses and trolleybuses in the area. However, the operation of public transport for passengers will remain without restrictions.”
The estimated value of the public contract was set at CZK 1.2 billion excluding VAT, according to René Černý, Deputy Mayor of Brno for Investments. However, during the tender process, the winning contractor offered a price for the construction work that was over CZK 100 million lower. DPMB applied for an EU subsidy for the modernisation through the Transport 2021–2027 Programme, which could total up to CZK 612 million.
50 years of the Slatina depot ends with guided tours
Before the demolition and construction of the new hall begins, the public will have a last opportunity to see the depot as we know it today. On Saturday, 28 March, from 1 pm to 4 pm, guided tours of the depot will leave every 30 minutes, alongside a vehicle exhibition. Visitors can access the premises through the gate at the Černovičky roundabout. Admission is free, with no need to register.
Better Brno public transport thanks to EU support
The Slatina upgrades are only the most recent modernization project in Brno; the facility in Pisárky was also renovated recently, including the creation of the largest rail branching with automatic switches in the Czech Republic, and a new hall with a distinctive red-silver facade. A new loop was also built, significantly simplifying the operation of the trams. Drivers travelling to the depot from the direction of Bystrc no longer have to go all the way to Mendlovo náměstí to turn around, which saves each of them 12 minutes.
The modernisation of both depots is being part-financed from European funds, thanks to the Integrated Territorial Investment (ITI) instrument, which provides funding for integrated projects that benefit more than just one municipality, affecting the wider region. At the level of the Brno metropolitan area, this instrument is managed by the City of Brno. In the current programming period 2021-2027 alone, approximately CZK 4.5 billion has flowed into the local public transport network thanks to this instrument.
This funding also covered a large part of the cost of last year’s completed modernization of the tram line to Modřice. A significant subsidy of about CZK 1.7 billion was obtained via ITI to extend the tram line to the Kamechy, which is currently under construction. A subsidy is also planned for the construction of a trolleybus line on the Černovice teraza, which is scheduled to start this year. The new trolleybuses were also purchased by DPMB using a subsidy from ITI. More information about individual projects is available here.
