The Czech Society for Ornithology (CSO) has filed a claim with the Ostrava Regional Court against the permit to build a cable car from Brno to the university campus. “The society disagrees with the biological assessment carried out earlier, because in the organisation's view the construction will have a negative impact on an area important for birds,” the chairman of the CSO's South Moravia branch, Jans Sihra, told journalists. Hana Tomaštīkova, spokeswoman for the Brno transport company, said in turn that the company would take note of this information and would continue implementing the project following the city's decision.
The ornithologists are concerned both about possible collisions between birds and the support cables and ropes, and about possible disturbance to the birds. According to them, the last large winter roosting site of ravens and common jackdaws in South Moravia lies precisely on the planned cable car route. “Our arguments were not heard, so we have filed an administrative claim to overturn the permit issued by the Railway Authority. We will also attach a request that the project be suspended. We have asked the regional authority to propose that this site be declared a protected area or a temporarily protected area,” said J. Sihra.
The CSO circulated a petition against the construction of the cable car which, as J. Sihra said, has so far been signed electronically by 3900 people and in person by around 2000. The society is planning various events to involve the public. In addition to the impact on nature, the organisation points out that no study has been carried out to show the costs and benefits of the construction. A representative of Brno city council, Filips Ponučaleks (Filip Poňuchálek), previously told ČTK that an analysis of the project would form part of any application for subsidies.
At the end of March the Brno transport company received the final building permit. Construction is estimated to cost 950 million crowns; the city does not want to pay for the whole project out of its own budget and will seek subsidies from EU funds. Defenders of the cable car argue that the university campus and its surroundings attract a great many people every day, and that the cable car could also be used by those coming to events.
The opposition Greens question whether the cable car is needed at all, claiming that the campus area and the arena are already served well enough by trams, trolleybuses and buses. “Ordinary Brno residents will not use it. It will be an attraction. And are we to pay for that not only with money but also with the loss of nature? We want a study setting out the economic and transport rationale for the project,” explained Jana Drapalova (the Greens).