EASY READING: Transport news for 2024

The year 2024 will bring many changes for all transport users, often making life much easier or an area much clearer. We provide an overview of what is new in the field of laws and regulations, construction, digitalisation, reduction of administrative burden, etc. All in one place.

AMENDMENT TO THE ROAD TRAFFIC ACT
• From 1 January 2024 we have a penalty points system that is easier to follow. It sets out clear bands of fines and points and introduces preventive measures for novice drivers. Penalties for drivers who knowingly commit offences and endanger the majority of well-behaving road users are being toughened, while minor offences will be punished less severally. 
• L17: The possibility to drive a car from the age of 17 under the supervision of an experienced mentor.
• Trial driving licence: for 2 years from the date of obtaining the first driving licence, regardless of the age of the driver. See more information here.
• You can read the exact wording of the laws here: Zákony.gov.cz – The e-Collection and e-Legislation projects are part of the digital transformation of the Czech legal system.The aim is to make the applicable law available 
and streamline the law-making process.

YOU CAN GO WITHOUT THE DRIVING LICENCE AND TECHNICAL CERTIFICATE
• From 1 January 2024, drivers do not have to carry their driving licence and technical certificate of the vehicle when travelling in the Czech Republic, but both must be valid. 
• From January 1 in 2024, there will also be only one technical certificate instead of the current two. The technical certificate can be exchanged during the first visit of the office on another matter, no special visit is required. The new document will contain the basic information needed; the rest will be available in digital format. 

SIMPLER ADMINISTRATION
• During January 2024 we are introducing electronic submission of applications for changes to the Road Vehicles Registry. It is another extension of the Transport Portal functionality. It shall, among other things, simplify the process of registering a change of vehicle owner or operator. Even new vehicles can now be registered online. 
• Cancellation of the obligation to submit a vehicle registration inspection report when applying for registration of a vehicle in the Road Vehicles Registry or for registration of a change of vehicle owner or operator in the Road Vehicles Registry. 
• Possibility of keeping the driving school learner's card in electronic form – now it is only available in physical form. This will simplify administration and make it more user-friendly for driving school students.
• Cancellation of the minimum interval of 5 working days between a failed test and a retest of professional competence or professional competence in driving motor vehicles. The change will allow the applicant to attempt to take the exam sooner than 5 days after an unsuccessful attempt. 

DIGITALISATION – TRANSPORT PORTAL
 • From January 1 2024, it will be possible to request on the Transport Portal that the driver be automatically informed of every points record, i.e. changes to his/her points account, via SMS, e-mail or even on public administration portals.

NEW TRAFFIC SIGNS    
• From January 1 2024, drivers will come across new traffic signs:
• Safe distance – a sign that is more clear to drivers – 2s – 2 arrows – 2 cars.
• Shared zones – the possibility to make best use of public space in transport nodes. 
• P+D parking for those who park a car and continue as a passenger in another car    
• Sanitation of sanitary facilities of motor homes and caravans.
• Pictogram of electric cars and e-scooters: this can be a traffic sign indicating a charger or parking.
• Insufficient roadway clearance.
• New marking of vehicles of field social services, which expands parking options.

2024 MOTORWAY VIGNETTES
 • From 1 March 2024, the price of vignettes will change after many years, and a one-day vignette will be available. 
 • Only between 2012 and 2022 a total of 226.5 km of motorways will be added to the motorway network. In 2023 it was 15.4 kilometres and a record of more than 100 kilometres are planned to be opened in 2024. All the money from the motorway toll will go into the construction and maintenance of motorways.
• The price of the annual ticket will rise to CZK 2 300, which corresponds to an increase by inflation over the ten years since the fee has not changed. 
• The fee is based on the European directive according to mandatory capped ratios, for a one-day vignette it will be CZK 200. 
• Prices will drop for:               
  o  10-day vignette – by CZK 40 to CZK 270 
  o  monthly vignette – by CZK 10 to CZK 430 

TRANSPORT AND ENERGY CONSTRUCTION AUTHORITY (“DESÚ”)
 From 1 January 2024, this single office for planning and building permits (today's planning and building proceedings) will begin to operate; it will be the administrative body for appeals against decisions of regional building authorities for unreserved transport and energy infrastructure construction; it will take over expropriation agenda from local self-governments and public health assessments from regional hygienic stations. 

TRANSFORMATION OF THE ROAD AND MOTORWAY DIRECTORATE ŘSD INTO A STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISE
• The form “state-owned enterprise” is proven for providing activities important to the state, allows for independent business activities but leaves broad management powers in the hands of the founder, i.e. the Ministry of Transport. 
• We want to enable better long-term planning of the management of motorways and category I roads, have the possibility to spend financial resources even more efficiently and improve the position of the organization on the labour market.

EURO 7
• The proposal of the new EURO 7 emissions standard is now significantly more acceptable and realistic – final compromise agreement between the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council. 
• The wording of the standard will not pose any risk to the competitiveness of the European automotive industry and will not compromise access to passenger cars ownership.

INVESTMENT IN CONSTRUCTION IN 2024
A record budget will ensure the development of motorways and railways
• SFDI, the State Fund for Transport Infrastructure, has a total of CZK 150.5 billion in 2024 at its disposal.

• The budget consists of: 
   o national resources of CZK 118.4 billion (of which CZK 26 billion is debt financing)   
   o European funds in the amount of CZK 32.1 billion

•  Breakdown of the expenditure:
   o investments CZK 99.4 billion               
   o non-investments CZK 51.1 billion

• The budget also provides for a contribution to the regions for their category II and III roads, under which CZK 4 billion will be distributed next year. More than 1 billion will go to rail operators to support the introduction of the single European Train Control System (ETCS).

Road Construction
• ŘDS will work with a record budget exceeding CZK 79 billion.
• The record progress with motorway and road construction will continue in 2024. 
• 248.3 km of motorways and category I roads are currently under construction, of which 
   o  184.1 km are motorways          
   o    64.2 km are category I roads

The year 2024
• A total of 146.3 km of new motorways and category I roads will be opened in 2024, of which:
  o  118.1 km are motorways       
  o    28.2 km are category I roads          
• In 2024 a total of 163.7 km of motorways and category I roads are planned to be opened, of which 116.7 km are motorways and 47 km are category I roads.
• Thanks to the great construction progress, 133.5 km of new motorways and 83 km of category I roads will open in 2023 and 2024!

Railway development and modernisation 
• The expenditure on railways is expected to reach CZK 57.48 billion in 2024.
• Design preparation of high-speed lines will continue   
   o   work is underway on 417 km of lines                     
   o   over 3,200 km of lines are in preparation             
   o   CZK 2.4 billion will be spent on ETCS in 2023