Large projects such as Hordfast, the Ringeriksbanen, the urban railway in Bergen and the E18 Sandvika are outside the National Transport Plan. “Incomprehensible” and “scandalous”, say mayors.
Fisheries and Oceans Minister Cecilie Myrseth and Transport Minister Jon-Ivar Nygård presented the parliamentary report on the National Transport Plan on Friday. Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / NTB
- NTB Anne Marjatta Gøystdal
Published:
Yesterday 12:11
Updated yesterday 13:54
The government will focus on maintenance and upgrades, declared Transport Minister Jon-Ivar Nygård (Ap) when he presented the transport plan on Friday. This means that no space has been found this time for a number of announced major projects.
Nygård uses words like “sober” and “realistic” when he described the plan.
– We don’t have room for everything, said the transport minister when he explained the government’s priorities.
Reduces spending per year
The government proposes to spend NOK 1,308 billion over a twelve-year period – which is less per year than in the previous NTP.
NOK 100 billion will come from tolls. Of the total frame, 4 out of 10 transport kroner goes to maintenance and renewal of existing infrastructure.
– We will build new where necessary, and take better care of what we already have, said Nygård.
Among the large projects that the government cannot find space for in the first instance are:
* Hordfast – ferry-free E39 between Stord and Os. The project can be assessed later.
* The northern part of Møreaksen. The Møreaksen is to be built, but the project is divided into stages.
* Ringeriksbanen.
* The urban rail in Bergen. The government is awaiting a new report from the city council.
* New E18 past Sandvika – added to a new development portfolio.
Big frustration locally
Bærum mayor Lisbeth Hammer Krog (H) is not impressed by the politicians’ work with the transport plan. Today’s E18 will continue to be a bottleneck after the project in Sandvika has been put on hold.
– Stopping this now is simply incomprehensible. Several hundreds of millions have already been spent on planning, she adds Technical Weekly.
Right-wing mayor Runar Johansen in Ringerike municipality is disappointed that the government has not focused on reducing the travel time between Norway’s two largest cities.
– It is a scandal, says Johansen VG.
He points out that the construction of the Ringeriksbanen alone would have taken eight years. Now the project is probably being pushed forward ten years, he believes. The Bergen line will continue to run via Drammen, which will extend the journey time between Oslo and Bergen by an hour.
Stad tunnel still included
The controversial ship tunnel at Stad is still part of the transport plan. NOK 3.2 billion is set aside for the project, writes Bergens Tidende.
Fisheries and Oceans Minister Cecilie Myrseth (Ap) maintains that the tunnel will help solve difficult sailing conditions around the Stadhalvøya.
– It is a large and complicated project, and a tender competition with negotiations must therefore be carried out, she says.
As regards the railway, the government has previously announced that they are prioritizing double track to Hamar and also from Råde to Fredrikstad.
Will expand urban growth agreements
The government will also consider whether the urban growth agreements should be extended. Today’s agreements are to be extended, and in the long term it is relevant to enter into agreements with Buskerudbyen and Grenland. Subsidies to five smaller cities are extended over the entire period.
The issue of toll funding has been difficult, particularly in Buskerudbyen, where people have believed in achieving zero growth in traffic with other means.
Nygård describes the agreements as the government’s most important instrument for developing good mobility and accessibility, less local pollution, noise and greenhouse gas emissions. Here, too, the government will give priority to existing infrastructure.
– Restrictive measures against car traffic and more densification around junctions are local measures that will become even more important in order to reach the zero growth target going forward, he says.
The national transport plan applies to the period 2025 to 2036. The plan is a collection of transport projects that the government will focus on. If the projects are realised, however, it depends on funds being set aside in the annual state budgets.
Opposition parties unimpressed
The government’s budget partner SV is not impressed by the government’s plan. The party believes the government does not take climate and the environment seriously enough.
– We cannot continue to pave the country with four-lane motorways. It destroys large natural areas, costs an enormous amount of money, and is not used enough, says transport policy spokesperson Mona Fagerås. She calls for more green solutions, public transport and railways.
On the other hand, the FRP believes that the government has not provided for the absolutely necessary road construction.
– The government has not started a single new major road project in 2021, 2022, 2023 or 2024. It has no credibility that they will suddenly start building roads after the general election in 2025, says the Progress Party’s Frank Sve.
KrF leader Olaug Bollestad reacts with disappointment that Hordfast is out of the plan, while Rødt’s Sofie Marhaug believes the government should have dropped the project altogether. The government writes that they will assess Hordfast later when the room for maneuver allows.