The Swedish Transport Administration will switch to a new digital planning system on Sunday night
This has raised concerns about new train chaos ahead of Christmas traffic.
”We are very stressed and frustrated,” says Lina Lagerroth, business policy expert at Tågföretagen.
The new system will provide more efficient planning and use of the railway and make it easier for train operators to apply for train paths and track work. The Swedish Transport Administration has described the change as completely necessary and a paradigm shift.
But the train operators' trade association Tågföretagen has raised a warning flag that the time to test the new system has been too short. If the system does not work in all parts, there is a great risk of delays and cancelled trains.
”I have great respect for their concerns,” says the Swedish Transport Administration’s Director General Roberto Maiorana.
At a press conference at Stockholm Central Station, he tried to calm those who were concerned.
”"I can guarantee that we will do everything we can to make sure it goes well. Disruptions may occur, and we will handle them," says the Director General.
”We have identified potential risks and have a plan for how to manage them.”
Among other things, train traffic may be reduced on Sunday.
Maiorana confesses that The preparations have not been without problems.
”"We know that time has been short and we have also had to fight a bit against headwinds during the year. Many of the resources that have been needed in our development have been used elsewhere in the business. But I think we have had a dialogue and we are now doing what we can to handle the new train timetable in the best way possible."”
Postponing the introduction of the new planning system is not an option.
”We cannot back down and we cannot postpone the transition,” says Roberto Maiorana.
The reason is that the rescheduling must take place at the same time as the annual adjustment of the European train timetables, which is the night of Sunday, December 11.
None of what was said at the press conference had a calming effect on the Train Companies.
”"No, we are still worried. We have been able to take part in a small part of the risk work, but the Swedish Transport Administration has chosen not to share the whole thing," says Lina Lagerroth.
TT: How do you assess the conditions for people who will be traveling by train on Sunday?
”"We don't know, but we're pretty sure there will be disruptions. We're really stressed and frustrated because there are still so many loose ends."”
The Swedish Transport Administration's press conference was held just half a day after train traffic in large parts of the country was hit by major disruptions. The reason was that the Swedish Transport Administration's telephony stopped working, likely due to a system update.
According to press manager Bengt Olsson, it has nothing to do with this weekend's introduction of the new planning system.
”Those are two very different things,” he says.
Corrected: In a previous version there was incorrect information about a reduction in train traffic.
Source: TT
