Czech cities roll out new traffic controls to curb illegal parking

Prague has placed a variable LED traffic sign on Lidická street in the Smíchov district. The sign, operating since the end of May, displays a changing parking regime that alternates between strict no‑stop periods and designated supply windows. Early observations show higher driver compliance than with the previous static sign, and the area is monitored by city police. The measure is part of the UNCHAIN project, which aims to improve sustainable urban logistics and may receive up to 5 million CZK for similar initiatives.

In České Budějovice, the municipal council plans to prohibit trucks over 3.5 tonnes and longer than 5 metres from parking on the Máj housing estate between 17:00 and 07:00. The ban addresses an estimated shortfall of about 1,000 car parking spaces and is intended to ease congestion on the estate. Two parking lots will still allow longer trucks, and additional “Zone 30” restrictions for heavy vehicles are slated for nearby areas. The measures await final permits and are expected to take effect in the autumn.