the Response to the submitter ”the Construction of Västlänken a murder in Gothenburg” on the DN Review of Kerstin Lidbeck (27 march):
first, the decisions on the Västlänken railway tunnel taken on democratic basis by elected politicians. In addition to it I dare to say that the Västlänken railway tunnel is one of the most investigated projects which have been tried and tested in all applicable aspects of the judicial system.
Then, it can of course be so that you as an individual citizen does not think about decisions, but it does not mean that these need to be wrong or that we have a mission to accomplish, these do a bad job.
the audit by the national audit office did not, however, consistent with the Lidbecks time, it was found that when the Västlänken is completed is required följdinvesteringar. Västlänken is the solution to the need for increased capacity for the rail system in Gothenburg and the rest of west Sweden. This then allows for and creates new investment is another word for societal development.
All construction causing environmental impact, whether it is about husbyggnationer or large infrastructure projects. That the situation around the air in Gothenburg is strained, as is well known, and it is obvious that the Västlänken railway tunnel brings some negative impacts during the construction, but it is only a small fraction of the total situation.
This must be weighed against the future possibilities of Västlänken will give to improved air quality as more people are given the opportunity to opt out of the car in favour of public transport. Unfortunately, it is sometimes so that it must be a little worse for a period before it gets better.
at the current Gothenburg Central is full and the station is overloaded, during the times people want to go, is a fact which is well known by all who work in the rail industry. Once Västlänken is completed, it will not be the limiting factor in the system, but a part that allows for the development and refurbishment of rail transport in the whole of west Sweden.
the Security of Västlänken is important to us. A crucial detail that Lidbeck choose to omit when she says that the lack of parallel räddningstunnel is to tell you that on these routes will be the so-called rescue shaft, which means that the safety of the traveler, will be just as high there as in other parts of the. A solution, which we also agree with the emergency services.
When planning infrastructure projects is production planning is an ongoing process during the entire construction period. This is not in any way unique for the Västlänken railway tunnel.
take individual byggaktiviteter as an example, and then try to lead in evidence that the project as a whole is delayed is wrong and misleading. There is nothing today which suggests that we should not be able to keep the slutprognoser for time and cost.
Gothenburg is growing rapidly and therefore faces its greatest transformation in modern times. A growing city will of course göteborgarens everyday, but I can guarantee that we do everything we can to make the situation as good as possible during the construction period.
Once Västlänken is completed, I am convinced that most will see it as a valuable addition to the rail service with quick and easy commuting in the whole of west Sweden.
