Norwegian municipalities are tired of paying for tourist buses that drive ”illegally”, reports NRK.

They protest that the buses are too heavy and ruin the roads.

– It is our path, but we have no financial means to upgrade them, says municipal politician Arve Helle to NRK.

Around 6.4 million visitors are expected. Norway during the tourist season, according to forecasts – and tourism increases the burden on small municipalities around the country.

Norwegian National Broadcasting Corporation reports on tourist buses that drive ”illegally” to, among other places, the famous rock formation Kannesteinen in Kinn municipality in Vestland county. The buses are too heavy and ruin the narrow road.

Can't afford to fix the road

– It is our road, but we do not have the financial means to fix all the roads that need upgrading due to commercial traffic and tourism, says Arve Helle, municipal politician responsible for traffic and transport in Vestland.

He emphasizes that the municipality cannot afford to upgrade for tourists and believes that the business community should contribute more.

"It's not that the business community is to blame for everything, but the situation is quite alarming. We need more money to cover the absolutely necessary maintenance," he says.

The problem is present in several places in Norway. Earlier this year, Ålesund Municipality banned tourist buses on the road up to the Fjellstua viewpoint. Since then, the police have stopped several buses that defied the ban, writes NRK. 

Believes that the criticism is exaggerated

The road to the famous Kråkenes lighthouse is also undersized for the large tourist buses.

But the Norwegian tourism industry believes that the criticism is exaggerated.

– There are also passenger cars, company transport and many other actors who use the roads. So throwing the tourism industry under the bus seems pretty stupid, says Tobias Strandskog-Christensen, political advisor at NHO Reiseliv, to NRK.

Source: Expressen.se