The Prague 1 District Town Hall has installed signs banning cars from entering a large part of the historical Old Town quarter between 10pm and 6am, with the aim of limiting the noise that disturbs local residents at night, District Councillor Vojtech Ryvola told CTK yesterday.
The restrictions effectively cover the entire area between Dvorak Embankment, Parizska, Staroměstské náměstí and Revolucni. Residents of Dlouha, where a number of popular nightlife venues are located, have long complained about the noise.
According to Ryvola, transport operators, local residents, and taxi services will still be able to enter the area, but officers will stop everyone to check their eligibility to do so.
The District Council took the measure without any advance notice, in order to avoid the heated debate that often accompanies traffic measures. The measure has been in force since yesterday and the town hall had previously consulted with the municipal police, who are ready to start inspections, Ryvola said.
He said the ban mainly targets the young people who like to drive around the Old Town in powerful cars at night, or hold races in the vicinity of Dlouha. The measure gives the city police a tool to launch systematic checks and start issuing fines to those who see night trips to the historic centre as just a frolic. “It’s the simplest thing we can do for now,” Ryvola told CTK.
