EU funds for the construction of the cycling track between Rogaška Slatina, Podčetrtek and Bistrica ob Sotli
Ljubljana, 5 December 2012 – The Ministry of Economic Development and Technology (MEDT), as the Managing Authority for the EU structural funds and the Cohesion Fund, issued a decision granting EU funds for the construction of a 10 kilometres long section of the cycling track between Rogaška Slatina, Podčetrtek and Bistrica ob Sotli. The project, which is worth 6.3 million Euros, will be co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund in the amount of over 5.18 million Euros.
The cycling connection between Rogaška Slatina, Podčetrtek and Bistrica ob Sotli is part of the distance cycling connection which runs between Maribor, Slovenska Bistrica, Poljčane, Rogaška Slatina, Podčetrtek and Bistrica ob Sotli all the way to Brežice.
The entire connection between Rogaška Slatina and Bistrica ob Sotli is 17.5 kilometres long; it will be constructed in three phases. In 2010, in the framework of the first phase of the investment, a 1,567 metres long section between Podčetrtek and Imeno was constructed – also with the help of the EU funds. In the framework of the second phase, i.e. the approved project, three sections in the overall length of 9,957 metres will be constructed. In the last phase the remaining 6 kilometres of the cycling track will be constructed.
The main objective of the project, which is part of the Operational Programme for the Development of the Environmental and Transport Infrastructure for the period 2007–2013 and will be closed in December 2015, is to ensure greater traffic safety. Namely, there are no surfaces between the mentioned settlements which would protect or separate cyclists and pedestrians from other participants in the traffic. The existing routes connect the tourist sites of the area; this is why they are especially attractive for cyclists. In 2011 the municipalities of Rogaška Slatina and Podčetrtek were visited by 137,224 tourists and the realisation of the investments will further enhance the cycling-tourist traffic.
