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Nordlys has claimed that the bus service to the airport may disappear. It is not true.
The reason why the Airport Road will be rebuilt is that Tromsø Airport will build a new de-icing platform. This is following an order from the State Administrator in Troms and Finnmark. The background is to improve the pollution situation from the current de-icing platform. The platform is in poor condition and glycol is leaking into the ground. The project is complicated and means that several operationally critical functions must be moved and re-established, including the Airport Road.
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This is hypocrisy at a high level, Avinor!
Tromsø Airport depends on a good bus connection to the city centre. Therefore, since planning work on a new de-icing platform began, Tromsø Airport has planned to facilitate scheduled buses to and from the airport. Both temporarily while the work is in progress, and then good, permanent solutions.
Specifically, we have proposed a solution where we build a roundabout for the buses, with associated stops. This will take passengers even closer to the terminal than the current solution. If there is an agreement between the municipality, the county council and Tromøs Airport on this solution, it will be able to serve the airport and travelers in a good way (attached illustration).
We believe and hope that the parties can agree on both temporary and permanent solutions for a good passenger service to and from the airport. We are now in an initial process, and have consequently initiated a regulatory process, where all parties have the opportunity to provide input, needs and views.
Through these meetings, it is constantly confirmed in writing that the bus traffic is taken care of, both temporarily and permanently. Tromsø municipality has given permission precisely on the basis that Tromsø Airport has confirmed that bus traffic to and from the airport will be handled properly.
Although the bus traffic at Tromsø Airport, Langnes, is a very important part of the airport’s infrastructure, Tromsø Airport cannot displace critical airport functions at the expense of bus stops.
Although bus traffic is very important for Tromsø Airport, the airport cannot prioritize it over critical airport functions. The measures are moderate, but will still cause disruptions for all users, including bus traffic. We fully understand that a change in bus traffic is inconvenient for travellers, but we would like to clarify that arrangements will be made for bus traffic into the airport.
Tromsø Airport will not put an end to bus traffic, but on the contrary will do our utmost to maintain the bus service during the construction phase. Together with the parties, we will find the best solutions so that our passengers can get to and from the airport in a simple and environmentally friendly way.