The different city of Drammen “forced” to crack down on tolls – NRK Buskerud – Local news, TV and radio

There is, or is planned, toll ringing in or around all of Norway’s 10 largest cities – except for one.

Drammen is the different city where most of the parties in the election campaign promised the 104,000 inhabitants that they would fight to keep it clean of toll cameras.

Just over six months after the election, the counter-notification came from mayor Kjell Arne Hermansen (H): They will investigate a toll ring system, writes Drammens Tidende.

Clearly Minister of State

The parties that make up the majority in the city (Høyre, Fremskrittspartiet, Kristelig Folkeparti and Pensionistpartiet) voted not to introduce tolls. The Labor Party and the Center Party did the same.

Now the mayor feels “forced” to investigate Transport Minister Jon-Ivar Nygård (Ap).

– As mayor, I have to hear what the transport minister from the Labor Party says, and he says we have to investigate user financing in order to enter into a dialogue about an urban growth agreement, Hermansen tells NRK.

An urban growth agreement will trigger several measures that will limit car traffic in the so-called Buskerudbyen, which consists of Drammen, Lier, Øvre Eiker and Kongsberg. Such an agreement with the state would be very lucrative, and Nygård assumes that the municipalities have investigated toll ringing before he will enter into negotiations with them.

– After our process, the question will be forwarded to the municipal councils for final consideration of the way forward, explains Hermansen.

– Would you rather not have to say this out loud?

– No, my job is to do what is important for Drammen, to keep reward funds or get a city growth agreement. With or without tolls, it must be illuminated. It is not possible to be mayor without doing something with such a clear answer from the Minister of Transport.

– Expensive for many

People NRK meets on the streets of Drammen are skeptical of the investigation, and hope it will be possible to reach an urban growth agreement without tolls.

– It shouldn’t cost anything to go to Drammen, says Hege Lill Bakken.

– I guess that’s the way it goes anyway. You see it in other cities, says Tor Edvard Roll

– It becomes expensive for many people in an everyday life where there are a lot of expenses from before, says Aleksander Listhaug.

Political commentator in Drammens Tidende, Hege Breen Bakken, asks residents who are crossing their fingers to avoid tolls, not to have too high hopes.

Tolling in the long run anyway

– I think it is positive that the mayor has taken the signal from the minister, that they must investigate tolls if they are to have any chance at all of negotiating an urban growth agreement, even if their big, hair-raising goal is to achieve an agreement without tolls, says Bakken to NRK.

– Is it possible to get a city growth agreement without tolls?

– There are very few who believe in it.

The goal is zero growth in city traffic. An urban growth agreement is a kind of joint venture between the state, the four municipalities in Buskerudbyen, the county council, the Swedish Road Administration and the Norwegian Railways. The agreement will ensure growth in business, the housing market and the population.

– The result is that tens of billions of NOK may be released for roads, cycle paths and public transport services, says Bakken.

– What is the chance that we will end up with a toll ring?

– In the long term, we are talking about many years, we cannot avoid it. Before that, even more people must realize this, agree to it and stand by it, regardless of whether there are elections in one, two or three years.