Chronicle, Politics | An energetic and vital county proved meager and powerless

Buskerud county municipality has decided to cut 45 million in the bus service in Buskerud. A very large part of this is taken in Lier and Drammen, which is dramatic for our residents. Buskerud came out of the jump very badly financially, when the county was again a reality from January this year.

The blue bear which was supposed to be energetic and vital, turned out to emerge gaunt and powerless from the den. Buskerud county must save a total of 250 million this year, which will severely affect the services to our citizens, such as poorer public transport, secondary schools and road maintenance. Unfortunately, today’s deplorable situation is a direct consequence of the dissolution of Viken, and the state’s lack of funding for the county.

For us it appears the zeal to dissolve Viken as much greater than the desire to deliver good services to our citizens. The consequences of the split were clearly announced in advance by Viken himself, and we are already feeling the consequences now. It is also interesting that Østfold is in a similarly deplorable situation, and that the eagerness to dissolve Viken was greatest in the two counties which are now coming out of the split very badly.

The opponents of Viken tries in vain to argue that the resolution has little to do with the current situation. The harsh reality, however, is that Viken made a profit of NOK 724 million in 2023 and in 2022 had a profit of NOK 1.4 billion. Ironically, big brother Akershus, who wanted to continue in Viken, can now focus on progressive public transport and other important services for its residents.

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So we ask the representatives from the Labor Party, the Center Party, the Progress Party, the Socialist Left Party and Red: Was it worth it?

As we have pointed out several times, cuts in public transport are completely at odds with the societal mission we are to solve. Together, we will work to ensure that more of our residents make environmentally sound choices, and at the same time reduce car traffic. The municipalities of Lier and Drammen are therefore, together with Øvre Eiker, Kongsberg and Buskerud county municipalities, part of Buskerudbyen, which will “promote climate-friendly land and transport development” in the region.

Buskerudbyen with Buskerud The county has committed to maintaining public transport services at a level such that the number of public transport journeys can increase at the expense of journeys by car. This involves a binding agreement with the state for 2022-2025 on reward funds. Buskerudbyen and the county have essentially committed to “continue the current level of bus services in 2022 and beyond”.

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With those notified the cuts in the bus service from the county, the county and thus Buskerudbyen will not be able to fulfill this. This would violate the intention behind the agreement, and could thus be a breach of the obligations to Buskerudbyen.

We are ready that Buskerud County Council must stand by its obligations in Buskerudbyen, and thus not cancel contracts for public transport in our municipalities. Then it is the state’s responsibility to enable the county to solve its tasks. The next chance comes in the revised national budget which will be presented on 14 May.

We have heard many beautiful promises about how vital the blue bear would become. This is actually the very last chance for the government to save a starving blue bear, before the cuts will really hit our citizens.

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