In total, the Swedish Transport Administration's national plan proposal for 2026–2037 concerns 1,171 billion kronor.
In addition to more money for infrastructure, the government is firmly determined that we need to get more infrastructure for the money, says Andreas Carlson at a press conference.
Specific projects
Approximately half of the nearly 1,200 billion kronor is expected to go to maintenance and the other half to the construction of new projects.
In the plan, 20 billion kronor have been allocated for 27 projects that, according to the Swedish Transport Administration, have "greater benefits".
These are listed in descending order of priority: noise reduction measures at Lommabanan Söderåsbanan, a new icebreaker, improved traffic junction at Rotebro, a level crossing in Knivsta, and Tomteboda railway yard in Stockholm – as the top five.
Measures are being dropped
Some previously planned investments are being dropped, including, for example, fencing along the Malmbanan between Boden and Gällivare, as well as the planned double track on the section Sundsvall C–Dingersjö (the part Kubikenborg–Dingersjö) and double track outside Växjö. And a "re-evaluation" will be made regarding the double track on the section Gävle–Kringlan, where the cost has doubled to almost 16 billion.
Several objects that we now propose need to be reconsidered or removed, where the conditions have changed over time, says the Swedish Transport Administration's Director-General Roberto Maiorana.
According to Pär-Erik Westin, who has led the agency's work on the plan, the parts that are now being removed or re-evaluated on the Ostkustbanan at Sundsvall and Gävle are very unprofitable. The cost does not match the benefit, either for freight traffic or passengers.
– One should conduct a renewed investigation and look at the Ostkustbanan with new eyes, says Pär-Erik Westin.
Takes time
When it comes to the maintenance of the country's railways, which has been criticized from several quarters, Maiorana says that the plan is to "keep up until 2050".
It will take time, he says and continues:
It is possible to do it faster, but then we cannot allow as much traffic as we do.
When it comes to the maintenance of the road network, the ambition is that the maintenance will be paid off by 2037.
The Swedish Transport Administration's plan is to be established by the government during the coming spring.
It is too early to say whether I will buy it (the plan) straight away, says Carlson and refers to the consultation round that will take place during the autumn, where comments from the business community, municipalities, and regions will be taken into account.
Based on that, the government will then finalize the plan in the spring.
