Norway: Presenting his government’s white paper, ‘On the right track. Reform of the railway sector’, Norwegian Minister of Transport and Communications Ketil Solvik-Olsen said: “With an increase in grants, clearer division of responsibilities and focus on long term planning throughout the sector, we will lift the Norwegian railway system into the 21st Century.”

He explained: “We will maintain state ownership of the infrastructure in the reform, ensure a more long term approach to maintenance, consolidate responsibilities and open up for competition in connection with a number of tasks in the railway sector.”

Since the change of government in 2013, the Norwegian National Rail Administration’s budget, which includes funding for maintenance and new construction, has increased by approximately 50%. In 2015, the maintenance backlog will be reduced for the first time in decades due to higher grants.

Solvik-Olsen said: “The major players in the railway sector have requested a new organisation and distribution of responsibilities for a long time. This emphasises the need for systemic change. I am very pleased with the substantial and positive engagement shown by the participants in connection with developing the reform.”

One of the measures in the reform is to gather more governmental responsibilities in one state-controlled body which does not have production tasks. The government will retain parts of the Norwegian National Rail Administration as a smaller Railway Directorate, which will report directly to the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

The Railway Directorate will conduct long term planning and have the role of co-ordinator of the sector’s participants and towards other forms of public transport.

Source: www.norwaypost.no
Photo: Leif Johnny Olestad/ Visitnorway.com