IRJ - December 2009 - (Page 18) Interview Sweden sets a course for a decade of change With a new structure for the country’s transport administration, liberalisation of passenger services, and high-speed advancing up the political agenda, the next decade will see huge changes in the Swedish railway industry. Minoo Akhtarzand director general of track authority Banverket, tells Keith Barrow why rail is central to Sweden’s bold vision for integrated transport. S the host city of October’s Nordic Rail trade show, Jönköping seems an appropriate location to ponder the past and the future of Sweden’s railway network. Jönköping is Sweden’s ninth-largest city, with a population of around 85,000, yet an unfortunate quirk of railway geography means it is bypassed by both the Stockholm - Malmö and Stockholm - Gothenburg main lines. So while it boasts good rail links to regional centres, Jönköping has just one daily through train to the capital. However, support is growing for a high-speed line that could transform this situation. After years of indecision and political wrangling, a bill was passed by the Swedish government last year to investigate the costs, financing, and effects of two 320km/h lines: the Götaland Line, a high-speed line from Stockholm to Jönköping and Gothenburg, and the European Line from Jönköping to Malmö. In September a study by consultants Gunnar Malm concluded that the project is economically viable. Mrs Minoo Akhtarzand, director general of Banverket, is a leading proponent of Sweden’s leap into high-speed rail. “High-speed is very important to the country’s overall transport system,” she explains. “Stockholm will be less than three hours from Malmö and two hours from Gothenburg, making rail a much more attractive option for passengers. It will also provide two to three times more capacity for freight on existing conventional lines, and more freight paths are urgently required in the south.” High-speed revived The national government is expected to clarify its position on high-speed when it gives its final approval to the 2010-2021 national transport plan early next year, although funding for the project will be outside the scope of this plan. “The most important question for the high-speed line is finance,” Akhtarzand explains. “The project is expected to cost around SKr 125 billion ($US 18 billion), and almost half - SKr 59 billion - will need to come from the national government.” The Gunnar Malm study suggests the rest will be financed through regional governments, the European Union, and loans secured against fares revenues. Akhtarzand believes a key challenge for high-speed in Sweden will be the convoluted planning process, which has dogged major projects such as the Bothnia line between Umeå and Kramfors (north of Sundsvall). “It takes four to five years to get all the necessary permits for a new line and anyone can object to anything in the plans,” she explains. “More than 400 complaints were received on the Bothnia line, and it takes a huge amount of time and money to deal with them all in the way the law requires.” The Swedish government is now investigating the planning process for major infrastructure projects and will publish its findings on the issue next year. “I’m very hopeful this will result in positive change,” Akhtarzand says. “In the last decade passenger numbers have increased 45% and rail now has a 24% share of the freight market. It is very difficult to accommodate this rate of growth when you are looking at 10-15 years to build a new line. We need changes in the planning process.” On October 1 Sweden liberalised the market for international passenger services, three months before it was due to become law in all EU member states. Next year Sweden will also become one of the first countries in Europe to deregulate its domestic rail passenger market. “We feel very positive about open access because it is better for customers to have a choice of operators,” Akhtarzand enthuses. “However, this presents a big challenge for Banverket, because it places huge demands on the railway infrastructure. We also have to ensure that our long-term planning takes into consideration the needs of new entrants.” Inevitably, open-access operators will be attracted to the busiest routes, and Akhtarzand believes the already-congested Stockholm Gothenburg/Malmö lines will be a key focus for new entrants. “Veolia is planning to run Stockholm - Malmö services and we expect many more operators to show an interest in this route,” she says. Banverket has recognised the need to increase revenue through track access charges, although Akhtarzand acknowledges that any IRJ December 2009 Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IRJ - December 2009 IRJ - December 2009 Contents This Month News Extra News Transit News Financial News Interview With Banverket DG Minoo Akhtarzand North-South High-Speed Line Opens New HS Stations Start to Take Shape FS Launches Regional Rail Revival Asia Spearheads High-Speed Growth Russia’s Peregrine Falcon Takes Flight US Investment Ready to Roll Old Tyres Bounce Back in Spanish Slab Track in Granada Rendezvous Full Contact List Advertisers Index The Last Word IRJ - December 2009 IRJ - December 2009 - IRJ - December 2009 (Page Cover1) IRJ - December 2009 - IRJ - December 2009 (Page Cover2) IRJ - December 2009 - Contents (Page 1) IRJ - December 2009 - This Month (Page 2) IRJ - December 2009 - This Month (Page 3) IRJ - December 2009 - News Extra (Page 4) IRJ - December 2009 - News Extra (Page 5) IRJ - December 2009 - News (Page 6) IRJ - December 2009 - News (Page 7) IRJ - December 2009 - News (Page 8) IRJ - December 2009 - News (Page 9) IRJ - December 2009 - News (Page 10) IRJ - December 2009 - News (Page 11) IRJ - December 2009 - Transit News (Page 12) IRJ - December 2009 - Transit News (Page 13) IRJ - December 2009 - Financial News (Page 14) IRJ - December 2009 - Financial News (Page 15) IRJ - December 2009 - Financial News (Page 16) IRJ - December 2009 - Financial News (Page 17) IRJ - December 2009 - Interview With Banverket DG Minoo Akhtarzand (Page 18) IRJ - December 2009 - Interview With Banverket DG Minoo Akhtarzand (Page 19) IRJ - December 2009 - North-South High-Speed Line Opens (Page 20) IRJ - December 2009 - North-South High-Speed Line Opens (Page 21) IRJ - December 2009 - North-South High-Speed Line Opens (Page 22) IRJ - December 2009 - North-South High-Speed Line Opens (Page 23) IRJ - December 2009 - North-South High-Speed Line Opens (Page 24) IRJ - December 2009 - North-South High-Speed Line Opens (Page 25) IRJ - December 2009 - New HS Stations Start to Take Shape (Page 26) IRJ - December 2009 - New HS Stations Start to Take Shape (Page 27) IRJ - December 2009 - New HS Stations Start to Take Shape (Page 28) IRJ - December 2009 - FS Launches Regional Rail Revival (Page 29) IRJ - December 2009 - FS Launches Regional Rail Revival (Page 30) IRJ - December 2009 - Asia Spearheads High-Speed Growth (Page 31) IRJ - December 2009 - Asia Spearheads High-Speed Growth (Page 32) IRJ - December 2009 - Asia Spearheads High-Speed Growth (Page 33) IRJ - December 2009 - Russia’s Peregrine Falcon Takes Flight (Page 34) IRJ - December 2009 - Russia’s Peregrine Falcon Takes Flight (Page 35) IRJ - December 2009 - Russia’s Peregrine Falcon Takes Flight (Page 36) IRJ - December 2009 - Russia’s Peregrine Falcon Takes Flight (Page 37) IRJ - December 2009 - Russia’s Peregrine Falcon Takes Flight (Page 38) IRJ - December 2009 - US Investment Ready to Roll (Page 39) IRJ - December 2009 - US Investment Ready to Roll (Page 40) IRJ - December 2009 - US Investment Ready to Roll (Page 41) IRJ - December 2009 - Old Tyres Bounce Back in Spanish Slab Track in Granada (Page 42) IRJ - December 2009 - Old Tyres Bounce Back in Spanish Slab Track in Granada (Page 43) IRJ - December 2009 - Old Tyres Bounce Back in Spanish Slab Track in Granada (Page 44) IRJ - December 2009 - Rendezvous (Page 45) IRJ - December 2009 - Rendezvous (Page 46) IRJ - December 2009 - Advertisers Index (Page 47) IRJ - December 2009 - The Last Word (Page 48) IRJ - December 2009 - The Last Word (Page 49) IRJ - December 2009 - The Last Word (Page Cover4) http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0712 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0612 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0512 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0412 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0312 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0212 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0112 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj1211 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj1111 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj1011 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0911 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0811 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0711 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0611 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0511 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0411 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0311 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0211 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0111 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj1210 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj1110 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj1010 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0910 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0810 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0710 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0610 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0510 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0410 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0310 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0210 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0110 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj1209 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj1109 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj1009 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0909 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0809 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0709 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0609 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0509 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0409 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0309 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0209 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0109 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj1208 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj1108 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj1008 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0908 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0808 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0708 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0608 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0508 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0408 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0308 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0208 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0108 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj1207 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj1107 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj1007 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0807 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0707 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0607 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0507 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0407 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0307 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0207 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0107 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sb/irj0706 http://www.nxtbookMEDIA.com
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