A tug of war has been going on for over a year between the government, which is driving the connection – a road and rail tunnel that connects the northern and southern parts of the Stockholm region – and the red-green government in Stockholm City and Region Stockholm, which opposes it.
Now they have signed a declaration of intent, which Mitti first reported. In exchange, the government is providing billions that are needed to complete the construction of the new subway and to initiate an expansion of tram traffic in southern Stockholm.
Money that they have made conditional on the region and municipalities allowing the Eastern Connection, which is estimated to cost 34 billion kronor.
Separate worlds
A very important step to realize the ring road around Stockholm, according to Minister of Infrastructure Andreas Carlson (KD).
But the agreement does not mean a definitive decision to build the Eastern Connection. Åsa Lindhagen (MP), Environment and Climate Mayor of Stockholm, emphasizes that the only thing the red-green majority in the city has said yes to is to clarify the conditions.
I want to be crystal clear that S, V and MP in Stockholm City still say no.
The government, she says, has tried to force a yes by withholding their part of the financing of the subway.
Old question
This will tie the region together and improve travel throughout Stockholm, says Carl Bergkvist, chief economist at the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, who has driven the issue of a ring road since the 1960s.
According to the Swedish Transport Administration's analysis, the project in the proposed version would result in societal economic losses of 25 billion kronor. But according to Bergkvist, there are alternatives with better calculations.
The government will now analyze different proposals to see how the project's profitability can be improved.
Corrected: In an earlier version, there were incorrect formulations regarding the agreement.
