Reader’s letter This is a debate entry, written by an external contributor. The post expresses the writer’s views.
What happened to the Vestfold Railway in the next century was that it was given the so-called normal gauge as the last section in Norway in 1949 and was electrified in 1957.
In the last 25 years, a lot has happened on the Vestfold Railway: In 2001, a double track opened in Sande, in 2011 the double track Barkåker-Tønsberg, Holm – Nykirke with the beautiful mountain station in Holmestrand was in place in 2016 and two years after the Farris section, which reduces the travel time for Larvik to Porsgrunn in 12 minutes. Next year, the sections south of Drammen and Nykirke – Barkåker will be finished, and we will have double track from the capital to Tønsberg. Fantastic!
But then it stops: In the proposal for the National Transport Plan, Vestfold is, according to NRK, the county in Norway that has not received any projects. This proposal comes from two parties who claimed that the development of the Vestfold Railway went far too slowly when the Solberg government was in power. Former minister Kleppa is still a hero in Holmestrand because she stood by that project, so those who are now in charge have shown that they can.
The county and municipal politicians have for many years stood together for the development of the Vestfold Railway. “Plattform Vestfold” has worked well. When there was no station at the university on the Bakkenteigen, many were disappointed, but within a few days Vestfold rallied and next year a new station at Skoppum is ready.
Sandefjord has put everything in place to achieve a good solution with a new railway route. In dialogue with Bane Nor, the plans are ready for a new station at Torp and at Sandefjordsveien as well as a rebuilt station in Stokke. The municipal board adopted this unanimously 5 years ago. The citizens have accepted the binding of properties for several years. Bane Nor has carried out basic investigations. Our governing powers have been clear that an intercity will be built to Lillehammer, Halden and Skien.
Are we now being punished for having stood together on the projects that have been built and are now being built?
Will the plans which the municipal council has dealt with be in vain? Will those residents who have been unsure what to do with their properties find that their concerns were unfounded? Have the skilled professionals who have worked on this project put in work that does not yield any results?
Now Sandefjord and the Vestfold community must stand together!
We cannot accept that in our county with great potential for train passengers we end up with a modern line from Tønsberg and northwards, while in Sandefjord and Larvik we have to live with a route from the 19th century.
