Winter train delays cost Sweden 'billions': report
Published: 20 Jun 11 10:56 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/34462/20110620/
Last winter's cancelled and delayed trains cost Swedish society about 2.4 billion kronor ($372 million) in lost working hours, according to a new report.
- Major spending boost for Swedish railways (8 Apr 11)
- Wind storm wipes out Stockholm train service (7 Apr 11)
- Downed lines prompt train delays (31 Mar 11)
The transport administration's costs for snow removal and similar wintry efforts were budgeted 210 million kronor, but landed on a hefty 310 million kronor.
Economic consequences for companies and others struck by train delays are not included in the figures.
In addition, there were a total of 22 million tonne-hours worth of delays in cargo traffic during the winter, which is an increase by 10 percent compared with the previous year.
The transport agency estimated the cost of cancelled freight trains at 200 million kronor in a report to the Riksdag.
"The direct costs of the transport systems are the only thing included. Companies obviously have other costs as well, but unfortunately those aren't included in the socioeconomic calculations, according to currently used models," commented the Swedish Transport Administration's director Gunnar Malm to news agency TT.
"This is a flaw that we're looking into right now, so we can assess total costs better."
According to Malm, the administration budgeted for roughly the same total costs for the upcoming winter as for the two previous ones.
He envisions facing similar traffic problems next winter, if problems with snow and cold return.
Passengers' have pulled no punches in their criticism of Swedish rail service for its lack of up-to-date information about delays and cancellations.
"That has to improve. We have a number of groups working intensely with operators and buildings. It's an extensive project, that I hope will pay off this very year," said Malm.
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When a train is running late the operators know for much longer that is is delayed - why not share the information and enable passengers to make alternative plans, drink coffee, find somewhere warm to wait, get someone to collect the children etc.
We live in an age of information, in theory,
me and my girlfriend's sister's husband were talking about train travel here a couple weeks ago. He said him and his wife look into going to Karlstad all the time when they go visit friends, coming from Västerås....... but for the two of them it is about 900-1100SEK roundtrip plus transfer times, and of coarse delay times..... He said when he does the math and calculates time, taking the car is WAAAAYYYYY more rational, convenient, easier, and cheaper.
It is an ongoing problem that the current government refuses to maintain the tracks to a high standard
I have been a long distance commuter for many years but poor maintenance coupled with track overcrowding (something else that the government won't pay to improve) means that the standards have been declining year on year
I read statstics a couple of years ago that Sweden only spends 1/8 per KM the amount that is spent in the UK
@kenny8076
Well obviously traveeling 1st class will be expensive - 1st class ticket for this journey start at around 250kr per single journey for this journey
Why don't they buy the cheap tickets that start at 95kr??