It is not yet certain when Follobanen, the billion-dollar project, will reopen. – Not enough, Transport Minister tells TV2
Transport Minister Joan-Iver Nygaard (AP) is asking Ban Nor to come to the track to answer questions about the Folobain crisis.
Before Christmas, Nygaard asked for an explanation of the course of events, whether trains had started running through the tunnel too quickly and why it was taking so long to restore traffic.
– It’s not enough. We have made some demands to Ban Nor through a statement. We expect them to answer these questions in the next week. Nygaard tells TV2.
Blixtunnelen, a billion-dollar project that opened in mid-December, was closed on December 19 after overheating and smoke in the technical facility at the ski resort. The prestigious project has been shelved, and the latest news is that trains will not run on the new line until February.
– Response within time frame
The Minister of Transport did not rule out inviting both the Norwegian Railway Directorate and Ban Nor on the carpet to TV2.
Ban Nor’s communications consultant, Østein Stavdal Paulsen, says they will stick to the deadline.
– The ministry will receive answers to its questions within the deadline, Paulsen tells E24.
Read on
Folopan will be closed until at least January
Ban Nor says there was a lot of work to find the cause of the problems over Christmas.
– Closing Folopan a few days after opening is one of the worst things that could happen and makes commuting to work and other activities using the railway incredibly boring, said Stine Antrum, executive vice president for development for the city of Penn. Not for E24 before Thursday.
The County Council is asking Ban Nor’s management to assess their positions
County councilor Olav Skiness (SP) in Wicken says Ban Nor’s top management should assess their positions after failing to open Folobanen.
– It’s sad and it’s not possible after NOK 36 billion has been invested in the project, the route has to be closed or not really used after it opened in December, says County Councilor for Transport in Viken Skiness. , a comment to NTB.
– It’s so embarrassing, he says, that Ban Nor’s top management should do a serious self-assessment and see if there’s anyone available for another job.
County Councilor Stawdal in Ban Nor says they have no comment on Skins’ plans.
– Now our focus is to get Folopan running again. I said nothing more, Staudel tells E24.
An inquiry committee should be set up immediately
Frp in Nordre Follo calls the closure of Follobanen a disaster.
– We at Nordre Follo Frp are in shock and disbelief over the “accident” to Follobanen. When a 37 billion project is halted days after opening, we need answers. Bane Nor’s answers are insufficient, says Dons Steinerson, group leader of Nordre Follo Frp.
He asked for an inquiry committee to be set up immediately.
A price of NOK 36.8 billion
Folopanen has the longest railway tunnel in the Nordic countries. Through the extensive project several postponements and budget gaps, the final price tag was NOK 36.8 billion.
Trains started running on the new route on December 11, and it was officially opened the next day. Already on December 20 the Sky station had to be closed due to a fire in a switch house. On Christmas Day, the same house caught fire again.
According to the plan, the route was supposed to reopen on December 27, but it was postponed. On Thursday, Ban Nor announced that Folopanan would be closed until further notice, at least until January.
In the meantime, train passengers will have temporary train service on the Østfold line. According to Ban Nor, they’ve put together a plan so that travelers get a more predictable offer.
The temporary route concession will be implemented from January 9.
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