Bergen’s brand-new tram system was facing threats of shut-down, after a highly critical safety report was issued by state rail authorities. It’s not the first time the operations of the so-called Bybanen in Bergen have come under fire.
The tram system just opened last year, running from downtown Bergen south to Nesttun with 15 stops along the way. An extension of the system is due to open in 2013.
But state authorities are unhappy with safety measures, claiming that daily operations involve 19 deviations from safety regulations. If the flaws aren’t corrected, the system will be shut down, claimed Statens jernbanetilsyn.
The firm in charge of the tram line, Fjord1Partner, claimed that new transit operators often face start-up problems and claimed they weren’t surprised by the criticism. “We are working at addressing the points they (the regulators) have made, and feel secure we’ll do so within the deadline they will set,” Trond Magne Målsnes of Fjord1Partner told newspaper Aftenposten.
Views and News staff
