The Vestfold line between Larvik and Porsgrunn is closed until further notice. The Norwegian Railway Inspectorate says Ban Nor has been operating there illegally for several days.
Bane has not commented on allegations of illegal activity.
– They don’t document safe driving. They have been operating illegally in recent days, Norwegian Railway Authority Director Eirik Reiersøl-Johnsen told NTB on Monday evening.
The Vestfold line between Larvik and Porsgrunn was closed around 5pm on Monday. Then Ban Nor wrote that it was for security reasons. In an update at 8 p.m., they wrote that the unit will remain closed until 12 noon on Tuesday.
On Monday evening, the director of the Norwegian Railway Inspectorate, Ban Nor, says that some parts of the division have been without documents for a long time.
– They have been driving for some time with a temporary permit. They had an obligation to document that safety was observed, and they didn’t, Reiersøl-Johnsen says.
A fine of over half a million per day
He adds that Ban Nor received daily fines for two months, amounting to NOK 610,000.
“I’m surprised Bane Nor couldn’t document safe operation,” says the director.
– Riersol-Johnson says it’s a shame that this is the only way to get them to listen.
Part of the Westfold line opened to traffic in 2018, and Ban Nor has been granted temporary permission to operate trains pending final paperwork.
– Simply shameful
The renewal has been extended several times, most recently in September, when the permit was extended on November 30. Then the Norwegian Railway Inspectorate chose to put its foot down, which was fully understood by Bettina Sandvin, Ban Nor’s Executive Vice President for Development.
– We fully understand that the Norwegian Railway Authority is now stepping in. We are now working to get the necessary documents as soon as possible, says Sandvin in one Press release.
Bane has not commented on allegations of illegal activity, but says the situation is distressing.
– This is a very regrettable situation that needs to be cleaned up as quickly as possible. We apologize to the passengers and the Wai that we had to close. Sandwin tells NTB it’s a shame.
Vy has implemented alternative transport and there is now a bus between Larvik and Skien.
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