The light rail must ensure a vibrant city center

Have we forgotten that, already? It is only three years since the government elected Bergen Norway’s most attractive city, where the jury stated that «Bergen is a role model and shows that urban development is a key tool for promoting good societal development. Here, more people will be able to live, work and live within walking distance of most things ».

Bergen’s credibility as a role model is now at stake: If the city council votes in favor of the Bybanen being laid in a tunnel on 24 November, it is likely that we as residents will not receive an urban railway offer from Åsane to the city center. We risk that urban development stops completely.

Bergen city center is already in a vulnerable situation: The trading industry has grown strongly in the districts, and according to Bergen Sentrum AS, there has been a downward trend for over ten years, where less and less of the Bergen trade takes place in the city center.

We at Sparebanken Vest have chosen to locate ourselves in the city center because we have believed that the politicians in Bergen want to develop an attractive, compact and exciting city center. In the Jonsvoll quarter, 900 currently have their workplace.

We know that we will never give more space to the car in the city center. The future lies in the green public transport service, and one of our most important urban development tasks is to ensure that the entire population of Bergen has easy access to the city center and the jobs there.

The light rail is Bergen most important climate measures and the backbone of the city’s public transport system. According to the report from Norconsult, the day alternative is better precisely for urban development, because it contributes to a greater extent to upgrading the most important urban spaces in the city center, and creates activity in the form of centrally located stops with significantly better accessibility.

It also gives passengers shorter and easier access to the main destinations in the city center. In this way, it better serves its role as the backbone of the public transport system.

We need a light rail solution that ensures a cohesive public transport service for the entire city, and it is starting to get urgent.

What is decided in the city council this November, is whether we will get a city line to Åsane at all. The only alternative is the alternative over Bryggen, which has been adopted, has financing, is fully regulated in 18 months and will be completed in ten years.

Here is therefore a prayer to the city council politicians in the Conservative Party, the Center Party, Rødt, Frp and FNB: End the political game about Bybanen, and live up to the promise that more people will be able to live, work and live within walking distance to most things. Only in this way do we keep our beautiful city alive.