Managers of Norway’s State railway system have come under fire after the Government ordered an external probe into why the new and expensive Follobanen rail line remains inoperable.
The 22-kilometre high-speed Follobanen line that links Oslo and the municipality of Ski has now become what the Prime Minister described as “one of the biggest public embarrassments in Norwegian transport history”.
Minister for Transport, Jon-Ivar Nygård called in leaders of the State Railroad Agency, Bane NOR, for an emergency meeting following problems that forced the shutdown of Follobanen just before the Christmas holiday after only seven days of operation.
A report in the newspaper, Aftenposten, said Chief Executive of Bane NOR, Gorm Frimannslund had been “called in on the carpet”.
“It’s since emerged that his management team, allegedly unknown to Mr Frimannslund (pictured), had been warned about risks tied to the opening of Follobanen,” the report said.
Aftenposten reported the rail line’s electrical system lacked the capacity to run trains at the high speeds of up to 200kph that had been expected.
The closure was described as indefinite just before the New Year, prompting the Government to act.
Follobanen cost NOK36.8 billion ($A5.4 billion) to build, while its construction created enormous disruption for many years.
Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre intervened, saying the matter “had to be cleaned up” given the line had been opened by King Harald V and was now one of the biggest public embarrassments in Norwegian transport history.
Oslo, 8 January 2023
