“Bus for train” costs NOK 100 million

"Bus for Train" Railroad track Bergen railwayIllustration,Railroad track. .Photo: Pixabay

“Bus for train” costs NOK 100 million

The train service is cut for six weeks this summer. The bill for the so-called “Bus for train” totals NOK 100 million.

 

This summer, 400 buses from southern Norway to Nord-Trøndelag are rented in order to replace train routes. The reason is that Bane Nor wants shutdown or reduce train traffic in order to maintain and renew rails and other equipment. The cuts in the train offer have a price tag of NOK 100 million, writes Dagens Næringsliv (DN).

– Yes, the amount is in the order of magnitude, confirms press officer in NSB, Åge-Christoffer Lundeby, and states that the bill will be sent to the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Earlier this year, NSB entered into contracts with 53 bus companies regarding stepping in when trains do not run. Annually this costs NOK 300 million. The lions share is used around the capital during the summer.

– We and Ban Nor must sit down to evaluate this summer carefully. The shutdowns are so long lasting that it hurts train customers, says Lundeby.

Bane Nors project manager, Rune Olsen, believes six weeks are necessary to complete renewals and investments that have been decided on. If it is to be done over shorter periods of time, work will extend over several years, he points out to the newspaper.

 

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today