Several important railway sections in Skåne can be brought forward ahead of the opening of the fixed Fehmarnbelt link.
This is stated in a new report from the Swedish Transport Administration, Trafikverket, to the Swedish government.
In recent years, both Danish and Swedish politicians and business organisations have called for a faster expansion of the Swedish railway network. Now Trafikverket concludes that the development of the railway network in the Öresund region can be advanced by several years. This is stated on Trafikverket’s website.
“The cross-border traffic in the Öresund region has shown positive development for many years, and we are already actively working on preparations for the opening of the Fehmarnbelt link. As traffic across the Öresund is expected to increase further in the coming decades, we see a need for stronger Danish-Swedish cooperation on issues such as traffic forecasts, capacity planning and contingency planning. Traffic management and disruption handling can also be further developed in the future,” says Anna Wildt-Persson, Regional Director of Trafikverket’s Southern Region.
Capacity-enhancing measures
In its report to the Swedish government, Trafikverket has also taken a closer look at railway measures linked to the Södra stambanan (the line from Malmö to Katrineholm, ed.), which are included in the national plan. This is stated on Trafikverket’s website.
The report concludes that several capacity-enhancing measures can be brought forward so that they better align with the opening of the Fehmarnbelt link. For some measures, this means an advancement of several years.
“The fact that measures can be implemented earlier is not only important for traffic across the Öresund. It also adds significant value for both long-distance and commuter rail services. More capacity sooner means less vulnerability to disruptions and more reliable traffic. Everyone benefits from that. At the same time, it is important to stress that bringing measures forward requires fast processing of procedures that lie outside Trafikverket’s direct control. This includes, for example, construction start decisions and appeals against railway plans,” says Anna Wildt-Persson.
Plans to upgrade freight yards
Trafikverket’s proposal for a new national plan for 2026–2037 also includes the possibility of strengthening several freight yards, including in Malmö and Trelleborg. In addition, an investigation of the freight yard in Helsingborg is planned.
“Traffic across the Öresund is one of Trafikverket’s highest priorities, and we are confident that we are implementing the right measures to meet the increasing traffic volumes. Our proposal for the new national plan also includes further capacity-enhancing measures along the Södra stambanan that can be implemented if additional funding becomes available. In addition, there are other important measures that we believe can be financed through the surplus from the Öresund Bridge,” says Anna Wildt-Persson on Trafikverket’s website.