It’s one of those wonderful urban legends: in the late 1970s, construction began from each end of the flyover being built at Nyugati station. When the two sections approached the middle, there was a gap. They may have smoothed it over since but now the whole lot is coming down – and not before time, say certain critics.

The idea of ​​removing the flyover by Nyugati station has long been debated, but it has now been agreed in an official forum: the Municipal Development Council of Budapest opted for its demolition, announced by city mayor István Tarlós on Kossuth Radio. The main reason was its appearance, and the fact it is not irreplaceable as far as traffic management in concerned.

Back in the 1970s, Budapest decided to re-organise the area by Nyugati station, then called Marx Square. Underpasses were built to serve the metro that was still under construction, and the Skála Metro department store was designed by György Kővári. The flyover was unveiled on 10 November 1981 after a six-month delay and discovery of the height discrepancy.

The flyover was integral to the urban planning of the day, allowing cars the fastest and smoothest connection between Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út and Váci út without holding up the Grand Boulevard. Another solution is currently being sought.