Bergen Light Rail
Encyclopedia
Bergen Light Rail is a light rail
system in Bergen
, Norway
. The first stage of the project is a fifteen-station, 9.8 kilometres (6.1 mi) stretch between the city center and Nesttun
, which opened on 22 June 2010. Construction continued from Nesttun to Rådal
in January 2011; further plans for the project involve three lines, stretching to Bergen Airport, Flesland
; Åsane
and Storavatnet
.
Plans for rail transit have existed since the 1970s, following the 1965 closing of the Bergen Tramway
. A rapid transit
design was first discarded, and in the 1990s a light rail line was proposed. The final decision to start construction was made in 2005. The first stage of the line is being built by the municipality, with financing from the state and the toll road ring, based on the Bergen Program
. Ownership, maintenance and further extensions of lines and vehicles will be the responsibility of Hordaland County Municipality
through their wholly owned limited company Bybanen AS. Operation is done after public service obligation
contracts issued by the county public transport authority Skyss
. From 2010 to 2017, the system is operated by Fjord1 Partner
, who operates the system's twelve Variotram
s.
, which operated between 1897 and 1965. However, the tramway was limited to the inner parts of the city and did not reach the suburbs. The city council therefore decided to close the tramway, arguing that the future lay in private cars and public transport provided with diesel buses. However, some of the tram lines were replaced by the Bergen trolleybus
. In the 1960s, the removal on restriction on car sales gave more traffic than the roads could handle and consequently both buses and cars began increasingly being stuck in rush-hour queues
. The municipality and the Norwegian Public Roads Administration
started looking to rectify the situation by building a ring road around the city, as well as alternative means of public transport.
Prior to the shortening of the mainline Bergen Line with the Ulriken Tunnel
, the Bergen–Nesttun Line
was an important commuter rail service, feeding suburban residents from Fana
into the city center. In 1917, the section was the most heavily trafficked railway in the country, featuring a travel time between 20 and 27 minutes. There were up to 27 trains per day, of which 5 continued to Garnes. In 1918, the line was proposed upgraded to double track
and electrified
—the latter was completed in 1954. The same year, annual ridership were down to 870,000 passengers. After the opening of the Ulriken Tunnel, the commuter trains were kept for six months, until the last trip ran on 31 January 1965.
During the 1970s, plans had existed for an extensive rapid transit system in Bergen, with an underground section in the city center. Inspired by the successful Oslo Metro that had opened in 1966, similar plans were developed for Bergen. The proposed network was close to the current long-term plans for the light rail system, and consisted of three branches from the city center, extending to Flaktveit
, Olsvik
and the airport. Four-car trains would operate on a ten-minute headway
. The suggestion was discussed by the city council in 1973, but no decision was taken. As an alternative, expansion of the national railway from Bergen Station to Eidsvåg
, Åsane and Nesttun was proposed. Fast commuter trains could then be supplemented with buses.
During the 1980s and 1990s, a toll ring
was constructed around Bergen to finance a massive investment in motorways. This included the European Route E39
north and south of the center, the road to the airport, as well as west to Loddefjord and Storavatnet. Bridges were constructed to Lindås
, Askøy
and Sotra
, and large parking garages were built in the city center. Despite this, congestion continued, and it was no better in the 2000s than in the 1970s. Proposals to build bus lanes and traffic signal preemption
was disregarded by the Public Roads Administration
.
In 1995, the municipal bus company Bergen Sporvei
made a proposal to establish what they called the Lightning Tram. It would run from Varden in Fyllingsdalen
via a tunnel to Møhlenpris
and the city center, then make a 120° turn and return along the route of the Bergen trolleybus to Birkelundstoppen
. The same year, the Norwegian Society for the Conservation of Nature
proposed a more extensive system, the Environmental Tram, which much closer resembles the current design proposals. From the city center, it would run northwards via Åsane to Flaktveit and southwards via Rådal to the airport (but not via Nesttun). The southern section would have branches from Hop to Nesttun and Midttun
, and from Minde
westwards to Fyllingsdalen and Loddefjord. Later, Bergen Sporvei's successor, Gaia Trafikk
, proposed building a bus rapid transit
.
. It became part of a political compromise, the Bergen Program, which ensured a number of road investments at the same time as the light rail system, all financed through the toll ring. However, a lack of funds made it necessary to only build the line to Nesttun, instead of all the way to the airport. The initial decision was taken by Bergen City Council on 13 March 2000, in the Parliament of Norway in 2002, and with the financing secured, by the city council in 2005. Only the Progress Party
and the Pensioners' Party voted against light rail. Forty percent is financed by the state, while the remainder is paid by the county, the municipality and through the toll ring.
The arguments for light rail were mainly related to the environment
, urban development
and reduction in road congestion. The light rail service is estimated to give an increase in the use of public transport from Fana, reducing both local and global pollution. The current road systems do not have capacity for further traffic growth, and any increase in public transport would need to be taken along the light-rail routes on buses—this would give higher operating costs for public transport or higher investment costs for roads. Around the stations, high-density commercial and residential centers can be established. Opponents of the project argued that it is unfair that public transport be funded by car drivers through toll roads. Protests from people in northern and western areas of the city have been risen, since they are paying for the system, but will not receive the benefits. Another issue has been the speed—the line to Nesttun has 15 stops in 10 kilometres (6 mi), giving an average speed of 28 km/h (17.4 mph). For people living south of Nesttun, this will give a longer travel time to the city center than with direct buses that do not make intermediate stops.
The naming of the stations caused local debate. A draft for names were made by the municipal administration and then sent to the borough councils in Fana, Årstad and Bergenhus
. Four names were changed: Nonneseteren from Jernbanen, Florida from Strømmen, Brann stadion from Nymark and Hop from Troldhaugen. Brann stadion and Troldhaugen were afterwards considered by the municipal administration, because they could be in violation with the Place Name Act. The general rule is to use the place name where the station is located, but naming after institutions or facilities near-by is not permitted, unless it is in the immediate vicinity. Brann stadion (named for the football venue
) was declared a border-line case, but within the rules, while Troldhaugen
was not permitted because the area is not in the vicinity of the station.
, Fyllingen Maskinstasjon and Veidekke Entreprenør
. The contract for laying the tracks and overhead wire
s was awarded to Baneservice
.
Construction along the route started in January 2008. To pass over Strømmen
, a fourth Nygård Bridge
was built for cars, and the oldest was upgraded and used by the light rail line. Several places the road needed to be dug up to remove pipes and cables. In November 2009, Gulating Court of Appeal
ruled that the power company BKK
had to pay 80 million Norwegian krone
(NOK) for the moving of power lines, and could not charge the project office for the costs. By June 2008, the first tracks had been laid.
Four companies bid for the initial public service obligation to operate the line: Fjord1 Partner
, Norges Statsbaner, Tide
and Veolia Transport Norway
. On 3 April 2009, the public transport agency Skyss announced that Fjord1 Partner, a joint venture between Fjord1 Nordvestlandske
and Keolis
, had won the auction. Fjord1 Partner received 324 applications for their 26 jobs as drivers and 10 jobs as traffic controllers.
Along with the establishment of the light rail service, the public transport in Bergen underwent several other changes. The public transport authority Skyss was established to manage routes and market the public transport, which would be operated by private companies based on public service obligations. At the same time, the electronic ticket system Skysskortet was introduced. When the light rail line begins operating at its intended capacity, the bus routes in Bergen will change, and there will no longer be north–south services. Instead, buses from the north and south will both continue westwards.
Because of delays from Stadler's subcontractors, five instead of eight trams were available when the line opened on 22 June. Skyss had planned to operate with a ten-minute headway until August, but was instead forced to plan for a fifteen-minute headway until 16 August. To compensate, none of the parallel bus routes will stop running along the route until then. On 7 June, two trams collided with each other at low speed at Byparken, causing a derailment
and forced the two trams to be repaired. This caused the summer schedule to be reduced to a 30-minute headway. From November 1, the line started running every six minutes during the rush hour. On 22 June, the line was officially opened by Queen Sonja of Norway
.
located at the heart of the city center and has correspondence with all buses serving the city center. The line runs south along Kaigaten, with the station Nonneseteren serving the railway station and Bystasjonen serving Bergen Bus Station. Southwards, the line runs in a grass right-of-way, serving the stations Nygård and Florida. These serve various campuses of the University of Bergen
and Bergen University College
. The line passes over Nygård Bridge before coming to Danmarks plass—the only island platform on the system. In this area, the track is on maize, a type of surface that allows emergency vehicles to drive safely, but makes the surface look unsafe for cars.
The line passes the depot at Kronstad
before reaching the station Kronstad. From here, the line follows Inndalsveien, where the station Brann stadion will among other places serve the football venue Brann Stadion
. The station Wergeland is located at the mouth of the 1.1 kilometre (0.683510010314787 mi) Fageråsen Tunnel. The tunnel is S-shaped, had a 6.0% gradient and a curve radius of 150 metres (492.1 ft). From the southern exit, the line changes to a conventional railway track with ballast
, allowing the trains to operate at 80 km/h (49.7 mph). The next stations are Sletten, Slettebakken and Fantoft, the later serving a large complex of student dorms. Southwards lays the 1.2 kilometre (0.745647283979768 mi) Fantoft Tunnel, followed by the station Paradis. The line continues along the inlet Nesttunvannet to Hop, along the former right-of-way that belonged to Bergen's first motorway. Nesttun Terminal will be the terminus until the extension to Rådal is finished. Nesttun has three tracks, allowing defect trams to be stored there, and allow multiple trains to wait at the station.
. Construction began in January 2011, and will run in its own right-of-way parallel to the existing road; it is scheduled for completion in 2012.
An expansion from Rådal via Kokstad to Bergen Airport, Flesland would run entire in its own right-of-way. Both Sørås and Indre Steinsvik has experienced a rapid housing construction, without a corresponding increase of public transport. Further out is a large corporate center with many of Bergen's largest employers, such as Telenor
, Statoil
and BKK. The area was built without a sufficient road and public transport system, and has among the most road congestion in the urban area. Although the light rail line will serve the airport, the current airport coaches will operate somewhat faster, but for a much higher fare, to the city center. Building the light rail line to Flesland is therefore more to supplement the coaches and an offer of cheaper service for locals and employees at the airport. Another incentive to built to Flesland is that there is sufficient free land which will allow a large depot to be constructed there. After the line has opened to Rådal, there will be insufficient space at Kronstad to house additional trams. The work with the regulation plans have come the furthest with this extension, and the line could open as early as 2015.
Plans for the expansion northwards from the city center to Åsane involve either building the system to replace many of the local buses operating in Sandviken
, or make the light rail line an express service. If the latter is chosen, the line will bypass Bryggen
in a tunnel and make few stops before Åsane. An important stop mid-way is the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration. The terminus will probably be Åsane Senter or Nyborg; the former shopping center has set aside areas for a station. At Åsane, a major bus terminal would allow connections to the northern parts of Bergen, suburbs further north and areas in Nordhordland
. An important political argument for prioritizing this line is to spread out the investments to all parts of the city, since the line is being financed by taxpayers and car-users throughout the city.
The third planned expansion runs from the city center southwards, east of the Center–Nesttun Line, serving Haukeland University Hospital
. It then heads west, intersecting with the first line at Kronstad, runs through a tunnel before serving the areas of Fyllingsdalen
. The line can use parts of the Norwegian National Rail Administration's right of way from the city center to Kronstad, and would feature a station under the hospital, which is Western Norway's largest work place. It is not planned an extension to Loddefjord
and Storavatnet from Fyllingsdalen at this time because the time of travel will be much higher than the direct bus line using the highway to the city center.
A project group with members of the Norwegian Public Roads Administration and the National Rail Administration have proposed that instead of rebuilding the Ulriken Tunnel to double track, a new double-track light rail tunnel could be built from the city center to Arna
. This would allow the light rail line to replace the two-station Bergen Commuter Rail
service, and give better access to the city center for people from Arna. Several politicians, including the majority in Hordaland County Council
, have stated that they in the long run they want the light rail line extended northwards to Knarvik
and westwards to Straume
and Kleppestø
.
wholly owned by Hordaland County Municipality. This company is responsible for maintenance of the right-of-way and the vehicles, and for all further extension of the line. Subsidies to the operation of the line are granted through Skyss, a county agency that also organizes the bus and ferry transport in Hordaland
. The operations of the trams are provided based on public service obligation contracts. From 2010 to 2017, with the possibility for a two-year extension, the light rail line will be operated by Fjord1 Partner, a joint venture between Fjord1 Nordvestlandske and Keolis. Stadler has the responsibility for maintenance of the trams for the first seven years, as part of the purchase contract.
The system will be operated on a five-minute headway by all-stop and express trains, with a ten-minute headway in off-peak times and a one-hour headway at night. Travel time from Byparken to Nesttun is 21 minutes, giving an average speed of 28 km/h (17.4 mph). In 2010, the price of a single ticket is NOK 25. The same year, the cost of operating the light rail line for half a year is NOK 36 million. Tickets are valid with free transfer to other buses in Bergen.
, with an additional four on option. The first tram arrived in Bergen 7 December 2009, and was used for testing in the months leading up to the opening. Before the light rail line opened, three more trams were in place. The trams are 32.18 m (105.6 ft) long and 2.65 metres (8.7 ft) wide; dead weight is 35.7 tonnes (35.1 LT). The trams have five articulated sections, and are expandable with another two modules to a length of 42 metres (137.8 ft), should higher capacity be necessary in the future. All stations are dimensioned for extended trams.
There is a slightly elevated driver's cabin at each end. Eight motors provide a total of 360 kW for three bogies. This allows a maximum speed of 70 km/h (43.5 mph), though this is limited to 50 km/h (31.1 mph) in city streets, and 25 km/h (15.5 mph) at the depots. Acceleration is 1.25 m/s2 (4.13 ft/s2), and they are capable of a 7.0% slope
. Current is collected via a pantograph, at 750 volts direct current
. Each tram is sufficiently powerful to haul another unit in case of emergencies.
Capacity is for 212 passengers, of which 84 can sit four abreast. The entire tram is step-free
, including between the cars and the platforms. Seats are designed for travel times up to 60 minutes. There are four slide and plug doors on each side; three are double, with a total width of 1300 millimetre, while the last is a single 800 millimetre door. Stop-buttons are only available at the doors; this has been chosen to quicken the unloading time. Between the seats there is a corridor with a minimum width of 720 millimetre which allows wheelchair and buggy access along the full length of the car. All stations are announced visually and orally. The trams have wireless Internet access
available for all travelers.
All stations are announced with a short distinctive melody and the station's name. The melodies were composed by Snorre Valen
, while the voice for the station names was recorded by Heidi Lambach.
tracks and 2.65 metres (8.7 ft) wide cars, with the platforms built to allow 44 metres (144.4 ft) long trams. The system is built without balloon loop
s, so trams must be bi-directional. The current is supplied from six rectifier
s, dimensioned so the system can operate with two rectifiers out of service. In the city center, the overhead wire has been designed to minimize the number of poles, while in the suburban areas, a conventional system has been chosen, with a carrier wire above the power wire.
The entire system is double track, allowing visual signaling and speed adjustment on all ground stretches. In city streets, S60-track is used, and in own right-of-way sections, S49-track is used. The minimum curve radius is 25 metres (82 ft) and tracks in city streets are laid within a rubber jacket to reduce noise. In the tunnels, only one tram can operate in each direction; this is regulated by lights and a automatic Train Protection
system. The signaling does not use traditional Norwegian light signals, but instead the German BOStrab
system. The light rail line has traffic signal preemption, so the trams send a signal to the traffic light control when the driver starts the door-closing signal to give the tram a green priority at traffic lights.
The depot is located at Kronstad, at a former yard used by the Norwegian State Railways, and here there is a track that connects the light rail network to the Bergen Line. The depot was finished in 2009, and has place for sixteen 40 metres (131.2 ft) units, plus a workshop with space for two trams and a garage with place for three. There is sufficient area for further expansion, but tracks have not been laid. If the light rail line is expanded past Rådal, a new main depot is planned in an area with cheaper land, and the Kronstad depot will be converted to a pure overnighting facility.
-based Kontrapunkt. The stations of the first two stages will be situated on street level, and will have facilities for buying tickets and dynamic displays that show when the next tram will arrive. The platforms will have step-free access to the trams, allowing unhindered accessibility by wheelchairs and perambulator
s.
The municipal government of Bergen has permitted denser development around the stations, where it wants most new housing and commercial property in Bergen to be built. Development projects for Slettebakken, Wergeland, Paradis and Lagunen have been announced by private developers. Many of the stations are located in primarily residential areas, and the projects have met resistance from residents who fear that the character of their neighborhoods will be altered.
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
system in Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. The first stage of the project is a fifteen-station, 9.8 kilometres (6.1 mi) stretch between the city center and Nesttun
Nesttun
Nesttun is an urban centre and neighbourhood in the southern parts of the city of Bergen, Norway, located approximately 10 km south of the city centre. It was the centre of Fana municipality, which merged with Bergen in 1972, and is today the administration centre of Fana borough. Nesttun...
, which opened on 22 June 2010. Construction continued from Nesttun to Rådal
Rådal
Rådal is a neighborhood in Bergen, Norway, located at the border between the boroughs of Fana and Ytrebygda. The center of the area is the shopping center Lagunen Storsenter. While the area has no official borders, it is regarded as the common name for the basic statistical units of Krohnåsen in...
in January 2011; further plans for the project involve three lines, stretching to Bergen Airport, Flesland
Bergen Airport, Flesland
Bergen Airport, Flesland is an international airport located southwest of Bergen, Norway. Opened in 1955, it is the second-busiest airport in Norway, with 5,296,325 passengers in 2010. Flesland is operated by the state-owned Avinor...
; Åsane
Åsane
Åsane is a borough of the city of Bergen, Norway, making up the northwestern part of the city.It was a municipality in Hordaland county, from January 1, 1904, when it was separated from Hamre, until January 1, 1972 when it was merged with Bergen . The area was developed from mostly farmland to a...
and Storavatnet
Storavatnet
Storavatnet is a lake near Loddefjord in Bergen, Hordaland, Norway.North of the lake, Norwegian National Road 562 to Askøy branches off from Norwegian National Road 555 to Sotra. The terminal there is proposed as the end of the Loddefjord branch of the Bergen Light Rail....
.
Plans for rail transit have existed since the 1970s, following the 1965 closing of the Bergen Tramway
Bergen Tramway
Bergen Tramway was a tramway in Bergen, Norway, which was in operation from 1897 to 1965. The first three lines were opened on 29 June 1897. Starting in 1950, tramway lines were gradually replaced with bus and trolleybus routes. The last line was closed in 1965. Since 1993, a heritage tram operates...
. A rapid transit
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
design was first discarded, and in the 1990s a light rail line was proposed. The final decision to start construction was made in 2005. The first stage of the line is being built by the municipality, with financing from the state and the toll road ring, based on the Bergen Program
Bergen Program
The Bergen Program for Transport, Urban Development and the Environment is a political agreement for financing road and light rail investments in Bergen, Norway, from 2002 to 2015...
. Ownership, maintenance and further extensions of lines and vehicles will be the responsibility of Hordaland County Municipality
Hordaland county municipality
Hordaland County Municipality is the regional governing administration of Hordaland, Norway. The main responsibilities of the county municipality includes the running of 46 upper secondary schools, with 17,000 pupils...
through their wholly owned limited company Bybanen AS. Operation is done after public service obligation
Public Service Obligation
In transport, public service obligation or PSO is an arrangement in which a governing body or other authority offers an auction for subsidies, permit the winning company a monopoly to operate a specified service of public transport for a specified period of time for the given subsidy...
contracts issued by the county public transport authority Skyss
Skyss
Skyss is a county owned public transport administration company that will take over the management, but not operation, of public transport in Hordaland, Norway. The company will administrate public service obligation contracts as well as promote public transport in the county. The administration...
. From 2010 to 2017, the system is operated by Fjord1 Partner
Fjord1 Partner
Fjord1 Partner AS is a joint venture between Fjord1 Nordvestlandske and Keolis that that holds the contract to operate the Bergen Light Rail from 2010 to 2017 in a public service obligation contract with Skyss...
, who operates the system's twelve Variotram
Variotram
Variotram is a German-designed articulated low-floor tram model. Since its introduction in 1993, the Variotram has been manufactured variously by ABB, Adtranz, Bombardier Transportation, and since 2001 by Stadler Rail. As of 2009, 254 trams have been ordered, with an additional 110 on option...
s.
Background
The first public transport in Bergen was the Bergen TramwayBergen Tramway
Bergen Tramway was a tramway in Bergen, Norway, which was in operation from 1897 to 1965. The first three lines were opened on 29 June 1897. Starting in 1950, tramway lines were gradually replaced with bus and trolleybus routes. The last line was closed in 1965. Since 1993, a heritage tram operates...
, which operated between 1897 and 1965. However, the tramway was limited to the inner parts of the city and did not reach the suburbs. The city council therefore decided to close the tramway, arguing that the future lay in private cars and public transport provided with diesel buses. However, some of the tram lines were replaced by the Bergen trolleybus
Bergen trolleybus
The Bergen trolleybus system serves the city of Bergen, Norway. It is the only trolleybus system still in operation in Norway.The system opened on February 24, 1950, as the Bergen Tramway was gradually closed and some of the tramway lines were transferred to trolleybus operation...
. In the 1960s, the removal on restriction on car sales gave more traffic than the roads could handle and consequently both buses and cars began increasingly being stuck in rush-hour queues
Traffic congestion
Traffic congestion is a condition on road networks that occurs as use increases, and is characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased vehicular queueing. The most common example is the physical use of roads by vehicles. When traffic demand is great enough that the interaction...
. The municipality and the Norwegian Public Roads Administration
Norwegian Public Roads Administration
The Norwegian Public Roads Administration is a Norwegian government agency responsible for the state and county public roads in the country. This includes planning, construction and operation of the state and county road networks, driver training and licensing, vehicle inspection and subsidies to...
started looking to rectify the situation by building a ring road around the city, as well as alternative means of public transport.
Prior to the shortening of the mainline Bergen Line with the Ulriken Tunnel
Ulriken Tunnel
Ulriken Tunnel is a railway tunnel on the Bergen Line between Bergen Station and Arna Station in Norway. The long tunnel runs under the northern part of the mountain Ulriken in Bergen. Before the tunnel was opened in 1964, the Bergen Line ran via Nesttun. This stretch is now a heritage railway,...
, the Bergen–Nesttun Line
Voss Line
The Voss Line is a railway line from Bergen to Voss in Hordaland, Norway. The line was opened on 11 July 1883 and became part of the Bergen Line when the latter opened on 27 November 1909, making the Voss Line the first step from Bergen to Oslo. The Voss Line was built in narrow gauge, but...
was an important commuter rail service, feeding suburban residents from Fana
Fana
Fana is a borough of the city of Bergen, Norway.-History:Prior to 1972, Fana was an independent municipality which territory also included today's boroughs of Ytrebygda, Fyllingsdalen, and the southernmost part of Årstad.-Geography:...
into the city center. In 1917, the section was the most heavily trafficked railway in the country, featuring a travel time between 20 and 27 minutes. There were up to 27 trains per day, of which 5 continued to Garnes. In 1918, the line was proposed upgraded to double track
Double track
A double track railway usually involves running one track in each direction, compared to a single track railway where trains in both directions share the same track.- Overview :...
and electrified
Railway electrification system
A railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units as well as trams so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...
—the latter was completed in 1954. The same year, annual ridership were down to 870,000 passengers. After the opening of the Ulriken Tunnel, the commuter trains were kept for six months, until the last trip ran on 31 January 1965.
During the 1970s, plans had existed for an extensive rapid transit system in Bergen, with an underground section in the city center. Inspired by the successful Oslo Metro that had opened in 1966, similar plans were developed for Bergen. The proposed network was close to the current long-term plans for the light rail system, and consisted of three branches from the city center, extending to Flaktveit
Flaktveit
Flaktveit is a neighborhood in Bergen, Norway, located in the borough of Åsane. It is located south of Nyborg, east of Rolland, north of Hjortland and west of Blindheim. In the area is Breimyra Lower Secondary School, Flaktveit School, Flaktveit Stadion. The area consists of the basic statistical...
, Olsvik
Olsvik
Olsvik is a neighborhood in Bergen, Norway, in the western part of the borough Laksevåg. The area is dominated by low-rise residential areas. It featues Olsvik School and Olsvikåsen Upper Secondary School. Olsvik is east of Godvik, west of Kjøkkelvik, north of Loddefjorddalen and Storavatnet and...
and the airport. Four-car trains would operate on a ten-minute headway
Headway
Headway is a measurement of the distance/time between vehicles in a transit system. The precise definition varies depending on the application, but it is most commonly measured as the distance from the tip of one vehicle to the tip of the next one behind it, expressed as the time it will take for...
. The suggestion was discussed by the city council in 1973, but no decision was taken. As an alternative, expansion of the national railway from Bergen Station to Eidsvåg
Eidsvåg, Bergen
Eidsvåg is a neighborhood in Bergen, Norway, in the borough Åsane. It is located north of Ytre Sandviken, northwest of Jordal, southwest of Ervik and south of Eidsvågen, an arm of Byfjorden. Eidsvåg was the administrative center of the former municipality of Åsane, until the municipal merger in...
, Åsane and Nesttun was proposed. Fast commuter trains could then be supplemented with buses.
During the 1980s and 1990s, a toll ring
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
was constructed around Bergen to finance a massive investment in motorways. This included the European Route E39
European route E39
E 39 is the designation of a 1330 km long north-south road in Norway and Denmark, running from Klett just south of Trondheim to Aalborg, via Orkanger, Vinjeøra, Halsa ... Straumsnes, Krifast, Batnfjordsøra, Molde ... Vestnes, Skodje, Ålesund ... Volda ... Nordfjordeid ... Sandane, Førde,...
north and south of the center, the road to the airport, as well as west to Loddefjord and Storavatnet. Bridges were constructed to Lindås
Nordhordland Bridge
The Nordhordland Bridge is a combined cable-stayed and pontoon bridge which crosses Salhusfjorden between Klauvaneset and Flatøy in Hordaland, Norway. It is long, of which the pontoon section is long. The cable-stayed section consists of a single tall H-pylon which has a length of and a main...
, Askøy
Askøy Bridge
The Askøy Bridge is a suspension bridge which crosses Byfjorden between Bergen and Askøy in Hordaland, Norway. It is long and has a main span of , making it the longest suspension bridge in Norway. It carries two lanes of County Road 562 and a combined pedestrian and bicycle path...
and Sotra
Sotra Bridge
The Sotra Bridge is a suspension bridge which crosses Knarreviksundet between Knarrevik in Fjell and Drotningsvik on the mainland of Bergen in Hordaland, Norway. It carries two road lanes and two narrow pedestrian paths of National Road 555, providing a fixed link for the archipelago of Sotra. The...
, and large parking garages were built in the city center. Despite this, congestion continued, and it was no better in the 2000s than in the 1970s. Proposals to build bus lanes and traffic signal preemption
Traffic signal preemption
Traffic signal preemption is a type of system that allows the normal operation of traffic lights to be preempted, often to assist emergency vehicles...
was disregarded by the Public Roads Administration
Norwegian Public Roads Administration
The Norwegian Public Roads Administration is a Norwegian government agency responsible for the state and county public roads in the country. This includes planning, construction and operation of the state and county road networks, driver training and licensing, vehicle inspection and subsidies to...
.
In 1995, the municipal bus company Bergen Sporvei
Bergen Sporvei
Bergen Sporvei AS was a municipal owned public transport company that operated in Bergen, Norway from 1898 to 1998. The company operated both the Bergen Tramway, Bergen trolleybus and the yellow buses in Bergen.-History:...
made a proposal to establish what they called the Lightning Tram. It would run from Varden in Fyllingsdalen
Fyllingsdalen
Fyllingsdalen is a borough of the city of Bergen, Norway, located south-west of the city centre in the valley to the west of Løvstakken. The early name of the valley, Fynö dalen, was the origin of the name of the farm which gave Fyllingsdalen its name, Fyllingen...
via a tunnel to Møhlenpris
Møhlenpris
Møhlenpris, formerly Vestre Sydnes, is a neighbourhood in the city of Bergen, Norway, located next to the Puddefjord. The neighbourhood is named after Jørgen Thor Møhlen, who established some industry at Møhlenpris in the late 17th century...
and the city center, then make a 120° turn and return along the route of the Bergen trolleybus to Birkelundstoppen
Nattland
Nattland is a neighbourhood in Årstad and Fana boroughs in Bergen, Norway. It is located south of Landås and north-east of Paradis, although, like every neighbourhood outside of Bergenhus borough, it has no clearly defined borders...
. The same year, the Norwegian Society for the Conservation of Nature
Norwegian Society for the Conservation of Nature
The Norwegian Society for the Conservation of Nature , also known as Friends of the Earth Norway and commonly abbreviated NNV is the largest Norwegian environmental organization with 28,000 members. The organization is based on a volunteer work among the members, constituting work both at local and...
proposed a more extensive system, the Environmental Tram, which much closer resembles the current design proposals. From the city center, it would run northwards via Åsane to Flaktveit and southwards via Rådal to the airport (but not via Nesttun). The southern section would have branches from Hop to Nesttun and Midttun
Nesttun
Nesttun is an urban centre and neighbourhood in the southern parts of the city of Bergen, Norway, located approximately 10 km south of the city centre. It was the centre of Fana municipality, which merged with Bergen in 1972, and is today the administration centre of Fana borough. Nesttun...
, and from Minde
Minde, Bergen
Minde is an neighbourhood in the southwestern part of Årstad borough in Bergen, Norway, south of Solheim and Kronstad, west of Landås, and north of Fjøsanger and Storetveit in Fana borough. Parts of Minde were in Fana municipality before the merger of 1972...
westwards to Fyllingsdalen and Loddefjord. Later, Bergen Sporvei's successor, Gaia Trafikk
Gaia Trafikk
Gaia Trafikk was the largest public transportation provider in Bergen and Os, Norway until it merged with HSD forming Tide.Gaia was formed by the 1998 merger of Pan Trafikk, the bus company serving northern and southern Bergen, and Bergen Sporvei, the company serving Bergen's inner city...
, proposed building a bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
.
Political process
The plans launched by the city administration closest resembled those of the Environmental Tram, but with slight changes. The initial plans involved a line from the city center via Nesttun to the airport at FleslandFlesland
Flesland is a village in Bergen municipality, Norway. As of January 1, 2008, its population is 335.It is the site of Bergen Airport, Flesland.-The name:...
. It became part of a political compromise, the Bergen Program, which ensured a number of road investments at the same time as the light rail system, all financed through the toll ring. However, a lack of funds made it necessary to only build the line to Nesttun, instead of all the way to the airport. The initial decision was taken by Bergen City Council on 13 March 2000, in the Parliament of Norway in 2002, and with the financing secured, by the city council in 2005. Only the Progress Party
Progress Party (Norway)
The Progress Party is a political party in Norway which identifies as conservative liberal and libertarian. The media has described it as conservative and right-wing populist...
and the Pensioners' Party voted against light rail. Forty percent is financed by the state, while the remainder is paid by the county, the municipality and through the toll ring.
The arguments for light rail were mainly related to the environment
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
, urban development
Urban planning
Urban planning incorporates areas such as economics, design, ecology, sociology, geography, law, political science, and statistics to guide and ensure the orderly development of settlements and communities....
and reduction in road congestion. The light rail service is estimated to give an increase in the use of public transport from Fana, reducing both local and global pollution. The current road systems do not have capacity for further traffic growth, and any increase in public transport would need to be taken along the light-rail routes on buses—this would give higher operating costs for public transport or higher investment costs for roads. Around the stations, high-density commercial and residential centers can be established. Opponents of the project argued that it is unfair that public transport be funded by car drivers through toll roads. Protests from people in northern and western areas of the city have been risen, since they are paying for the system, but will not receive the benefits. Another issue has been the speed—the line to Nesttun has 15 stops in 10 kilometres (6 mi), giving an average speed of 28 km/h (17.4 mph). For people living south of Nesttun, this will give a longer travel time to the city center than with direct buses that do not make intermediate stops.
The naming of the stations caused local debate. A draft for names were made by the municipal administration and then sent to the borough councils in Fana, Årstad and Bergenhus
Bergenhus
Bergenhus is a borough of the city of Bergen, Norway.-Location:Named after the historic Bergenhus Fortress, Bergenhus makes up the city centre and the neighborhoods immediately surrounding it, including Sandviken and Kalfaret, as well as the mountains to the north and east of the city centre...
. Four names were changed: Nonneseteren from Jernbanen, Florida from Strømmen, Brann stadion from Nymark and Hop from Troldhaugen. Brann stadion and Troldhaugen were afterwards considered by the municipal administration, because they could be in violation with the Place Name Act. The general rule is to use the place name where the station is located, but naming after institutions or facilities near-by is not permitted, unless it is in the immediate vicinity. Brann stadion (named for the football venue
Brann Stadion
Brann Stadion is a football stadium in Bergen, Norway. It was constructed in 1919, and has been the home of the football club Brann ever since. The stadium lies south of the centre of the city, at the foot of Mount Ulriken....
) was declared a border-line case, but within the rules, while Troldhaugen
Troldhaugen
Troldhaugen was the home of Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg and his wife Nina Grieg. Troldhaugen is located in Bergen, Norway and consists of the Edvard Grieg Museum, Grieg’s villa, the hut where he composed music, and his and his wife's gravesite....
was not permitted because the area is not in the vicinity of the station.
Construction
The first construction work commenced in August 2007, when Pastasentralen was demolished to make room for a temporary bus terminal that would allow Kaigaten to be closed for construction. The contracts for building the line were awarded to Svein Boasson, NCC ConstructionNordic Construction Company
NCC AB is a Swedish construction company, the second largest in the Nordic region with annual revenues of 49 billion Swedish krona and about 17,000 employees.-History:...
, Fyllingen Maskinstasjon and Veidekke Entreprenør
Veidekke
Veidekke is the largest Norwegian construction company and the fourth largest in Scandinavia. Veidekke’s business involves a network of Scandinavian construction operations, rehabilitation work, major heavy construction contracts and development of dwellings for the company’s own account as well...
. The contract for laying the tracks and overhead wire
Overhead lines
Overhead lines or overhead wires are used to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleybuses or trains at a distance from the energy supply point...
s was awarded to Baneservice
BaneService
BaneService is a Norwegian government owned railway construction and maintenance company. It is by far the largest subcontractor for Jernbaneverket and is owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications.-History:...
.
Construction along the route started in January 2008. To pass over Strømmen
Store Lungegårdsvannet
Store Lungegårdsvannet is a bay located in the city and municipality of Bergen, Norway. The bay separates the city centre, located in the borough of Bergenhus, from the southern boroughs of the city, Årstad, Fana and Ytrebygda...
, a fourth Nygård Bridge
Nygård Bridge
Nygård Bridge is a series of parallel bridges that cross Strømmen, the sound entering Store Lungegårdsvannet, in Bergen, Norway. Old Nygård Bridge dates from 1854 and carries the two tracks of the Bergen Light Rail as well as pedestrians and cyclists. New Nygård Bridge opened in 1978, and carries...
was built for cars, and the oldest was upgraded and used by the light rail line. Several places the road needed to be dug up to remove pipes and cables. In November 2009, Gulating Court of Appeal
Gulating Court of Appeal
Gulating Court of Appeal is a Norwegian Court of Appeal.-Jurisdiction:Gulating Court of Appeal is based in Bergen, Norway. Gulating Court of Appeal holding many hearings in Stavanger and also maintains permanent offices in the Stavanger Courthouse....
ruled that the power company BKK
Bergenshalvøens Kommunale Kraftselskap
Bergenshalvøens Kommunale Kraftselskap branded as BKK is a Norwegian power company based in Bergen. BKK is owned by Statkraft , Bergen municipality and 16 other municipalities between Sognefjorden and Hardangerfjorden. It performs production and distribution of electricity, while end-user sales is...
had to pay 80 million Norwegian krone
Norwegian krone
The krone is the currency of Norway and its dependent territories. The plural form is kroner . It is subdivided into 100 øre. The ISO 4217 code is NOK, although the common local abbreviation is kr. The name translates into English as "crown"...
(NOK) for the moving of power lines, and could not charge the project office for the costs. By June 2008, the first tracks had been laid.
Four companies bid for the initial public service obligation to operate the line: Fjord1 Partner
Fjord1 Partner
Fjord1 Partner AS is a joint venture between Fjord1 Nordvestlandske and Keolis that that holds the contract to operate the Bergen Light Rail from 2010 to 2017 in a public service obligation contract with Skyss...
, Norges Statsbaner, Tide
Tide (transportation company)
Tide ASA is a public transport company in Hordaland, Norway which resulted from the merger of Gaia Trafikk and Hardanger Sunnhordlandske Dampskipsselskap . The company provides the public transit network in the city of Bergen, and most of the bus service in Hordaland...
and Veolia Transport Norway
Veolia Transport Norway
Veolia Transport Norway is the Norwegian subsidiary of Veolia Transport, part of Veolia Corporation and operates through its subsidiaries buses, ferries and trams in the counties of Akershus, Finnmark, Nordland, Rogaland and Sør-Trøndelag, primarily through the purchase of former monopolists. The...
. On 3 April 2009, the public transport agency Skyss announced that Fjord1 Partner, a joint venture between Fjord1 Nordvestlandske
Fjord1 Nordvestlandske
Fjord1 Nordvestlandske is a Norwegian transport conglomerate, formed in 2001 by the merger of Møre og Romsdal Fylkesbåtar and Fylkesbaatane i Sogn og Fjordane. The company itself is a holding company for its numerous subsidiaries. Company headquarters are located in Florø; however, the headquarters...
and Keolis
Keolis
Keolis is the largest private sector French transport group. It runs passenger railways, tramways, bus networks, funiculars, trolley buses, and airport services. The company, based in Paris, is majority owned by SNCF, the French state rail operator. AXA Private Equity and Caisse de dépôt et...
, had won the auction. Fjord1 Partner received 324 applications for their 26 jobs as drivers and 10 jobs as traffic controllers.
Along with the establishment of the light rail service, the public transport in Bergen underwent several other changes. The public transport authority Skyss was established to manage routes and market the public transport, which would be operated by private companies based on public service obligations. At the same time, the electronic ticket system Skysskortet was introduced. When the light rail line begins operating at its intended capacity, the bus routes in Bergen will change, and there will no longer be north–south services. Instead, buses from the north and south will both continue westwards.
Because of delays from Stadler's subcontractors, five instead of eight trams were available when the line opened on 22 June. Skyss had planned to operate with a ten-minute headway until August, but was instead forced to plan for a fifteen-minute headway until 16 August. To compensate, none of the parallel bus routes will stop running along the route until then. On 7 June, two trams collided with each other at low speed at Byparken, causing a derailment
Derailment
A derailment is an accident on a railway or tramway in which a rail vehicle, or part or all of a train, leaves the tracks on which it is travelling, with consequent damage and in many cases injury and/or death....
and forced the two trams to be repaired. This caused the summer schedule to be reduced to a 30-minute headway. From November 1, the line started running every six minutes during the rush hour. On 22 June, the line was officially opened by Queen Sonja of Norway
Queen Sonja of Norway
Queen Sonja of Norway is the wife of King Harald V of Norway.-Prior to marriage:Sonja was born in Oslo on 4 July 1937 as the daughter of clothing merchant Karl August Haraldsen and Dagny Ulrichsen .Queen Sonja grew up in the district of Vinderen in Oslo and completed her lower secondary schooling...
.
Route
The 9.8 kilometres (6.1 mi) line runs from the city center to Nesttun. The northernmost part of the line, Byparken Terminal, is a transit mallTransit mall
A transit mall is a street, or set of streets, in a city or town along which automobile traffic is prohibited or greatly restricted and only public transit vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians are permitted....
located at the heart of the city center and has correspondence with all buses serving the city center. The line runs south along Kaigaten, with the station Nonneseteren serving the railway station and Bystasjonen serving Bergen Bus Station. Southwards, the line runs in a grass right-of-way, serving the stations Nygård and Florida. These serve various campuses of the University of Bergen
University of Bergen
The University of Bergen is located in Bergen, Norway. Although founded as late as 1946, academic activity had taken place at Bergen Museum as far back as 1825. The university today serves more than 14,500 students...
and Bergen University College
Bergen University College
Bergen University College is a Norwegian public institution of higher education, established in August 1994 by the merging of six former independent colleges in Bergen, Norway.The College is organised in 3 faculties:*Faculty of Education...
. The line passes over Nygård Bridge before coming to Danmarks plass—the only island platform on the system. In this area, the track is on maize, a type of surface that allows emergency vehicles to drive safely, but makes the surface look unsafe for cars.
The line passes the depot at Kronstad
Kronstad, Bergen
Kronstad is a neighbourhood in Årstad borough, Bergen, Norway. It is located in the north of the borough, south of Store Lungegårdsvannet, east of Solheim, north of Minde, west of Landås, and west of Møllendal and Haukeland in Bergenhus borough...
before reaching the station Kronstad. From here, the line follows Inndalsveien, where the station Brann stadion will among other places serve the football venue Brann Stadion
Brann Stadion
Brann Stadion is a football stadium in Bergen, Norway. It was constructed in 1919, and has been the home of the football club Brann ever since. The stadium lies south of the centre of the city, at the foot of Mount Ulriken....
. The station Wergeland is located at the mouth of the 1.1 kilometre (0.683510010314787 mi) Fageråsen Tunnel. The tunnel is S-shaped, had a 6.0% gradient and a curve radius of 150 metres (492.1 ft). From the southern exit, the line changes to a conventional railway track with ballast
Track ballast
Track ballast forms the trackbed upon which railway sleepers or railroad ties are laid. It is packed between, below, and around the ties. It is used to facilitate drainage of water, to distribute the load from the railroad ties, and also to keep down vegetation that might interfere with the track...
, allowing the trains to operate at 80 km/h (49.7 mph). The next stations are Sletten, Slettebakken and Fantoft, the later serving a large complex of student dorms. Southwards lays the 1.2 kilometre (0.745647283979768 mi) Fantoft Tunnel, followed by the station Paradis. The line continues along the inlet Nesttunvannet to Hop, along the former right-of-way that belonged to Bergen's first motorway. Nesttun Terminal will be the terminus until the extension to Rådal is finished. Nesttun has three tracks, allowing defect trams to be stored there, and allow multiple trains to wait at the station.
Future plans
The plans as of 2010 involve building five stages. After the completion of the stages from the city center to Nesttun, the line will be expanded southwards from Nesttun to Rådal at Lagunen StorsenterLagunen Storsenter
Lagunen Storsenter is one of the largest shopping centres in Norway, and was in 2002 the fifth largest in Scandinavia, with a turnover of 2,540 billion Norwegian kroner. It is located in the borough Fana in Bergen, Norway's second largest city. The shopping centre was opened in 1985. It has 135...
. Construction began in January 2011, and will run in its own right-of-way parallel to the existing road; it is scheduled for completion in 2012.
An expansion from Rådal via Kokstad to Bergen Airport, Flesland would run entire in its own right-of-way. Both Sørås and Indre Steinsvik has experienced a rapid housing construction, without a corresponding increase of public transport. Further out is a large corporate center with many of Bergen's largest employers, such as Telenor
Telenor
Telenor Group is the incumbent telecommunications company in Norway, with headquarters located at Fornebu, close to Oslo. Today, Telenor Group is mostly an international wireless carrier with operations in Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and Asia, working predominantly under the Telenor brand...
, Statoil
Statoil
Statoil ASA is a Norwegian petroleum company established in 1972. It merged with Norsk Hydro in 2007 and was known as StatoilHydro until 2009, when the name was changed back to Statoil ASA. The brand Statoil was retained as a chain of fuel stations owned by StatoilHydro...
and BKK. The area was built without a sufficient road and public transport system, and has among the most road congestion in the urban area. Although the light rail line will serve the airport, the current airport coaches will operate somewhat faster, but for a much higher fare, to the city center. Building the light rail line to Flesland is therefore more to supplement the coaches and an offer of cheaper service for locals and employees at the airport. Another incentive to built to Flesland is that there is sufficient free land which will allow a large depot to be constructed there. After the line has opened to Rådal, there will be insufficient space at Kronstad to house additional trams. The work with the regulation plans have come the furthest with this extension, and the line could open as early as 2015.
Plans for the expansion northwards from the city center to Åsane involve either building the system to replace many of the local buses operating in Sandviken
Sandviken, Norway
-Location:Geographically it is located geographically north-east of the city center. The neighbourhood begins north of Bergenhus Fortress, and follows the coastline facing west. Sandvik Road is the main thoroughfare through the area, which mostly consists of residential buildings...
, or make the light rail line an express service. If the latter is chosen, the line will bypass Bryggen
Bryggen
Bryggen , also known as Tyskebryggen is a series of Hanseatic commercial buildings lining the eastern side of the fjord coming into Bergen, Norway. Bryggen has since 1979 been on the UNESCO list for World Cultural Heritage sites. The name has the same origin as the Flemish city of Brugge.The city...
in a tunnel and make few stops before Åsane. An important stop mid-way is the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration. The terminus will probably be Åsane Senter or Nyborg; the former shopping center has set aside areas for a station. At Åsane, a major bus terminal would allow connections to the northern parts of Bergen, suburbs further north and areas in Nordhordland
Nordhordland
Nordhordland is a traditional district in the western part of Norway, consisting of the northern portion of the county of Hordaland. It includes the municipalities Austrheim, Fedje, Lindås, Masfjorden, Meland, Modalen, Osterøy, Radøy and Vaksdal....
. An important political argument for prioritizing this line is to spread out the investments to all parts of the city, since the line is being financed by taxpayers and car-users throughout the city.
The third planned expansion runs from the city center southwards, east of the Center–Nesttun Line, serving Haukeland University Hospital
Haukeland University Hospital
Haukeland University Hospital is a hospital in Bergen, Norway, and one of the 11 institutions that form the Bergen Hospital Trust. The hospital is the largest in Norway in terms of number of patients, and serves as the local hospital of Bergen, Midthordland and Nordhordland, the central hospital of...
. It then heads west, intersecting with the first line at Kronstad, runs through a tunnel before serving the areas of Fyllingsdalen
Fyllingsdalen
Fyllingsdalen is a borough of the city of Bergen, Norway, located south-west of the city centre in the valley to the west of Løvstakken. The early name of the valley, Fynö dalen, was the origin of the name of the farm which gave Fyllingsdalen its name, Fyllingen...
. The line can use parts of the Norwegian National Rail Administration's right of way from the city center to Kronstad, and would feature a station under the hospital, which is Western Norway's largest work place. It is not planned an extension to Loddefjord
Loddefjord
Loddefjord is a suburb of Bergen, Norway, located in Laksevåg borough west of the city centre. Loddefjord consists mainly of high and lowrise flats revolving around the local shopping mall. It is home to a large group of immigrants who came to Bergen in late 70's and 80's....
and Storavatnet from Fyllingsdalen at this time because the time of travel will be much higher than the direct bus line using the highway to the city center.
A project group with members of the Norwegian Public Roads Administration and the National Rail Administration have proposed that instead of rebuilding the Ulriken Tunnel to double track, a new double-track light rail tunnel could be built from the city center to Arna
Arna, Norway
Arna is a borough and suburb of Bergen, Norway and a former municipality in Hordaland county.Arna has approximately 12,000 inhabitants. Situated behind mount Ulriken, Arna is geographically close to downtown Bergen, but it takes some time to drive there by road as there is no road tunnel as of yet....
. This would allow the light rail line to replace the two-station Bergen Commuter Rail
Bergen Commuter Rail
Bergen Commuter Rail sometimes called Vossebanen is a commuter rail between Bergen and Arna, Voss and Myrdal, Norway. The service is operated by Norwegian State Railways using Class 69 electric multiple units...
service, and give better access to the city center for people from Arna. Several politicians, including the majority in Hordaland County Council
Hordaland county municipality
Hordaland County Municipality is the regional governing administration of Hordaland, Norway. The main responsibilities of the county municipality includes the running of 46 upper secondary schools, with 17,000 pupils...
, have stated that they in the long run they want the light rail line extended northwards to Knarvik
Knarvik
Knarvik is the administrative centre in the municipality of Lindås and the largest town in the region of Nordhordland, Norway. It had 4,265 inhabitants as of 2005....
and westwards to Straume
Fjell
Fjell is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. The parish of Fjæld was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
and Kleppestø
Kleppestø
Kleppestø is an area of Askøy municipality in Hordaland county, Norway, located on the east coast of the municipality's main island. Kleppestø is the administrative center of the municipality, and is part of the Askøy urban area. Kleppestø is connected to the city of Bergen by ferry and a road...
.
Operation
The building of the line is the responsibility of Bergen Light Rail Project Office, an agency that is part of the municipal government of Bergen. The physical infrastructure and trams are owned by Bybanen AS, a limited companyAksjeselskap
Aksjeselskap is the Norwegian term for a stock-based company. It is usually abbreviated AS or A/S, especially when used in company names. An AS is always a limited company, i.e. the owners cannot be held liable for any debt beyond the stock capital...
wholly owned by Hordaland County Municipality. This company is responsible for maintenance of the right-of-way and the vehicles, and for all further extension of the line. Subsidies to the operation of the line are granted through Skyss, a county agency that also organizes the bus and ferry transport in Hordaland
Hordaland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Telemark and Rogaland. Hordaland is the third largest county after Akershus and Oslo by population. The county administration is located in Bergen...
. The operations of the trams are provided based on public service obligation contracts. From 2010 to 2017, with the possibility for a two-year extension, the light rail line will be operated by Fjord1 Partner, a joint venture between Fjord1 Nordvestlandske and Keolis. Stadler has the responsibility for maintenance of the trams for the first seven years, as part of the purchase contract.
The system will be operated on a five-minute headway by all-stop and express trains, with a ten-minute headway in off-peak times and a one-hour headway at night. Travel time from Byparken to Nesttun is 21 minutes, giving an average speed of 28 km/h (17.4 mph). In 2010, the price of a single ticket is NOK 25. The same year, the cost of operating the light rail line for half a year is NOK 36 million. Tickets are valid with free transfer to other buses in Bergen.
Rolling stock
In 2007, the Planning Office ordered twelve Variotrams from Stadler RailStadler Rail
Stadler Rail AG , based in Bussnang, Switzerland, is a Swiss manufacturer of rail passenger cars.In 1942 Ernst Stadler founded the Stadler Engineering Office which later became Stadler Rail.- Factories :...
, with an additional four on option. The first tram arrived in Bergen 7 December 2009, and was used for testing in the months leading up to the opening. Before the light rail line opened, three more trams were in place. The trams are 32.18 m (105.6 ft) long and 2.65 metres (8.7 ft) wide; dead weight is 35.7 tonnes (35.1 LT). The trams have five articulated sections, and are expandable with another two modules to a length of 42 metres (137.8 ft), should higher capacity be necessary in the future. All stations are dimensioned for extended trams.
There is a slightly elevated driver's cabin at each end. Eight motors provide a total of 360 kW for three bogies. This allows a maximum speed of 70 km/h (43.5 mph), though this is limited to 50 km/h (31.1 mph) in city streets, and 25 km/h (15.5 mph) at the depots. Acceleration is 1.25 m/s2 (4.13 ft/s2), and they are capable of a 7.0% slope
Slope
In mathematics, the slope or gradient of a line describes its steepness, incline, or grade. A higher slope value indicates a steeper incline....
. Current is collected via a pantograph, at 750 volts direct current
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
. Each tram is sufficiently powerful to haul another unit in case of emergencies.
Capacity is for 212 passengers, of which 84 can sit four abreast. The entire tram is step-free
Accessibility
Accessibility is a general term used to describe the degree to which a product, device, service, or environment is available to as many people as possible. Accessibility can be viewed as the "ability to access" and benefit from some system or entity...
, including between the cars and the platforms. Seats are designed for travel times up to 60 minutes. There are four slide and plug doors on each side; three are double, with a total width of 1300 millimetre, while the last is a single 800 millimetre door. Stop-buttons are only available at the doors; this has been chosen to quicken the unloading time. Between the seats there is a corridor with a minimum width of 720 millimetre which allows wheelchair and buggy access along the full length of the car. All stations are announced visually and orally. The trams have wireless Internet access
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
available for all travelers.
All stations are announced with a short distinctive melody and the station's name. The melodies were composed by Snorre Valen
Snorre Valen
Snorre Serigstad Valen is a Norwegian musician and politician . He was elected to the Stortinget from Sør-Trøndelag in 2009...
, while the voice for the station names was recorded by Heidi Lambach.
Infrastructure
The system uses standard gaugeStandard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
tracks and 2.65 metres (8.7 ft) wide cars, with the platforms built to allow 44 metres (144.4 ft) long trams. The system is built without balloon loop
Balloon loop
A balloon loop or turning loop allows a rail vehicle or train to reverse direction without having to shunt or even stop. Balloon loops can be useful for passenger trains and unit freight trains, such as coal trains....
s, so trams must be bi-directional. The current is supplied from six rectifier
Rectifier
A rectifier is an electrical device that converts alternating current , which periodically reverses direction, to direct current , which flows in only one direction. The process is known as rectification...
s, dimensioned so the system can operate with two rectifiers out of service. In the city center, the overhead wire has been designed to minimize the number of poles, while in the suburban areas, a conventional system has been chosen, with a carrier wire above the power wire.
The entire system is double track, allowing visual signaling and speed adjustment on all ground stretches. In city streets, S60-track is used, and in own right-of-way sections, S49-track is used. The minimum curve radius is 25 metres (82 ft) and tracks in city streets are laid within a rubber jacket to reduce noise. In the tunnels, only one tram can operate in each direction; this is regulated by lights and a automatic Train Protection
Automatic Train Protection
Automatic Train Protection in Great Britain refers to either of two implementations of a train protection system installed in some trains in order to help prevent collisions through a driver's failure to observe a signal or speed restriction...
system. The signaling does not use traditional Norwegian light signals, but instead the German BOStrab
BOStrab
The Verordnung über den Bau und Betrieb der Straßenbahnen is a German law governing regulations for tramway, metro and light rail operations....
system. The light rail line has traffic signal preemption, so the trams send a signal to the traffic light control when the driver starts the door-closing signal to give the tram a green priority at traffic lights.
The depot is located at Kronstad, at a former yard used by the Norwegian State Railways, and here there is a track that connects the light rail network to the Bergen Line. The depot was finished in 2009, and has place for sixteen 40 metres (131.2 ft) units, plus a workshop with space for two trams and a garage with place for three. There is sufficient area for further expansion, but tracks have not been laid. If the light rail line is expanded past Rådal, a new main depot is planned in an area with cheaper land, and the Kronstad depot will be converted to a pure overnighting facility.
Stations
Fifteen stations were built for the first stage, and five additional stations are planned for the second stage. The stations and the visual profile of the system as a whole are designed by the Bergen-based design groups Cubus and Fuggi Baggi Design, and CopenhagenCopenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
-based Kontrapunkt. The stations of the first two stages will be situated on street level, and will have facilities for buying tickets and dynamic displays that show when the next tram will arrive. The platforms will have step-free access to the trams, allowing unhindered accessibility by wheelchairs and perambulator
Baby transport
Baby transport consists of devices for transporting and carrying infants. A "child carrier" or "baby carrier" is a device used to carry an infant or small child on the body of an adult...
s.
The municipal government of Bergen has permitted denser development around the stations, where it wants most new housing and commercial property in Bergen to be built. Development projects for Slettebakken, Wergeland, Paradis and Lagunen have been announced by private developers. Many of the stations are located in primarily residential areas, and the projects have met resistance from residents who fear that the character of their neighborhoods will be altered.