Resarch areas

The purpose of this report is to give an account of the studies and tests carried out in Sweden with longer and heavier trains since the early 1990-ties. Before any further development work is carried out, the following conclusions, from the material presented in this report, are highlighted for consideration:

• There have been a very limited number of specific tests for heavy and long trains in Sweden. The supporting documents, obtained within the framework of this project, describe tests and investigations which were carried out since the early 1990s.

• With regard to heavier trains, embankment and bridge bearing capacity is a limiting factor for trains with high axle loads (e.g.stax 25 tonnes) and tonnes per metre (e.g. stvm 8 tons/m or more). Pending upgrade of tracks and bridges, these limitations can be handled by introducing speed restrictions on the sections with weak bearing capacity.

• The limitations for long trains are mainly linked to the length and number of sidings required to operate 750 metre (or longer) trains. The available track length at the shunting is also a factor that limits the possibilities to assemble and dismantle long trains.

The material for this report is based on investigations carried out by the Swedish Rail Transport Administration (Banverket, since 2010 Trafikverket) in cooperation with i.e. the Swedish States Railways ( SJ Gods, since 2000 Green Cargo) and other rail operators (MTAB) and shippers (i.e. LKAB, SSAB, Ovako), the Norwegian Rail Administration (Jernbaneverket) and the Swedish counties Gävleborg and Dalarna, Additional information has been obtained through interviews with people from Trafikverket who have previously worked at Banverket.

The Swedish Government has commissioned the public agency Transport Analysis to generate a review of knowledge and an analysis of the Swedish freight transport by all transport modes. The Transport Analysis has in turn asked VTI to study several of the questions in the government commission accordingly:

A) National and international freight flows
B) Considerations by shippers
C) Factors limiting the development of efficient rail freight
D) Freight transport by inland waterways
E) Freight transport by short sea shipping
F) Transport in urban areas and intraregional transportation in rural and sparsely populated areas.

VTI has analysed the literature and statistics as well as carried out interviews with key stakeholders. In sub-project A the national freight model Samgods has been used to describe the trade-, transport- and traffic flows. In sub-project E the competition between the modes is illustrated using a case study.

In sub-project A flow charts for six aggregate commodity groups illustrate how heterogeneous the freight transport market is. In the review, VTI stresses that the development of transport forecasts requires a good description of the current flows. With respect to shippers' choices the price for transport services is crucial, provided that a certain quality is assured. The sub-projects C, D, and E confirm the importance of the intermodal perspective in which the transport modes both cooperate and compete with each other. In sub-project F it is developed how the conditions for short-distance road haulage differ between urban and rural areas.

The commission will be reported to the Government 4 June 2012.

The Government has commissioned VTI to analyze to what extent the proposed TEN-T corridors are consistent with the Swedish foreign trade flows and needs of the Swedish industry.
The suggested guidelines for the proposed Trans European Network – Transport (TEN-T) comprise two levels: a comprehensive-network and a core network. The purpose of the networks is amongst others to offer infrastructure services that support user needs, are efficient, safe and sustainable, support the introduction of new technologies and bring Europe together.
VTI has carried out the project by compiling foreign trade statistics and the transport flows generated by the foreign trade as well as transport forecasts that have been carried out for Sweden and the Baltic Sea region. Furthermore, companies with large export and/or import flows have been interviewed about their views on the TEN-T proposal. VTI has also used the referral responses that the Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications received regarding the TEN-T proposal.
According to the analyses performed in the project, the majority of Swedish freight is transported on the TEN-T network. The flows through Sweden continue to follow largely the six freight corridors that the Freight Transport Delegation (Godstransport¬delegationen) identified in 2001. These corridors comprise about two-thirds of the Swedish freight transport and correspond well to the Swedish TEN-T network.
According to the interviews that have been carried out, the TEN-T proposal is apprecia¬ted by shippers, forwarders and carriers who believe that a concentrated effort on the main corridors is needed. However, shippers would like to be able to choose between alternative transport chains and routes, due to vulnerability and competition aspects. The industry representatives also emphasize that the quality of the infrastructure outside the corridors should not decrease. They express the need for good connections to the TEN-T network at national and international level.
The interviewed companies also mentioned the need to upgrade the rail tracks west of Lake Vänern and the need to improve the hinterland connections to the ports that the respective companies use.
Despite growing markets in Eastern Europe and Russia in the long term, the interviewed companies do not explicitly ask for more port capacity and land connections in Southeast Sweden. Three industry representatives mention the possibility of using the Trans-Siberian railway for transports to/from Asia either via a hub in Germany, via a ferry service to/from Karlshamn/Karlskrona-Klaipeda or via Narvik in Northern Sweden and Russia.
One corridor that is part of the TEN-T proposal but not requested explicitly by the industry representatives we have talked to is the North Bothnia Line (Norrbotniabanan). This line does not serve a demand today but can contribute to strengthen the northern region and may eventually be used for freight transports to/from Finland.
Another aspect that trade and industry highlight is that the TEN-T corridors mainly relate to the rail and road infrastructure and that sea transports are not integrated equally clear.
Another viewpoint is that the projects in the core network proposed by the European Union (EU) are mainly rail investments. The representatives stress also that the quality of road transport infrastructure has to be maintained.
In our interviews it became clear that the standard requirements proposed in the TEN-T guidelines facilitate the transports for trade and industry. The shippers are interested in efficient transports but do not have specific comments on how the infrastructure holders make sure that the TEN-T’s technical requirements are assured or what various measurements to assure them cost.
An interesting observation is that there are similar requests for maximum vehicle weight standards for road transports as for rail transports. These standards are though not specified in the TEN-T proposal.
Given that the funding of the core network part is a common concern within the EU, we emphasize the importance of socio-economic profitability in the selection of infrastructure projects and that projects are monitored systematically. It should also be analyzed how the proposed platforms influence the Swedish infrastructure planning process.

National freight model development and application in Finland, Norway, Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands and within the EU has been compiled. This has been done based on questions formulated by the Swedish government agency Transport Analysis. The questions address infrastructure planning, work with the freight models and current development. The responses for the other countries were compared to the Swedish situation, where the Swedish Transport Administration is responsible for the transport forecasts, cost benefit analysis and the development of methods and models.

The review revealed several parallels in terms of need for analysis in the considered countries and the EU. The fact that the same types of fees and regulations are discussed is not surprising given that requirements are determined at the EU or global level. When it comes to infrastructure planning, different countries focus on different aspects according to their geographical location etc. All countries produce aggregated transport forecasts, however, not all countries have the same practice for detailed flow forecasts that are required for cost benefit analysis (to rank projects). In Finland, for example, there are no detailed transport forecasts for the whole country as in Norway and Sweden.

Most of the input data used in the national freight models are derived from transport statistics and economic statistics that are EU-regulated. It is unique for Sweden that three national Commodity Flow Surveys have been carried out. This means more data are collected in Sweden than in most other countries. As we understood, however, the access to data for model development is not assured as before, when SIKA was responsible for both statistics and transport models.

The review shows that there is not one given organizational solution in terms of ownership and management of transport models. In most countries, the responsible ministries have roles as formal owners and clients, except for Norway and Sweden. In Denmark, the model development is linked to an academic research environment at Denmark's Technical University. Due to the lack of transparency and openness, the organizational solutions in Germany and Finland where consultants handle the models without public control are not compatible with the Swedish requirements for decision-making.
Sweden has applied various organizational models over time.
As we have understood, the Maritime Administration does not feel that they are part of the modelling work in today’s practice. This means that there is a risk that the intermodal perspective is not guaranteed. Another problem with today's solution is that it does not address transport policy in general. Many maritime, aviation and climate policy as well as and other issues are wholly or partly outside the Transport Administration and there is a risk that these issues are not addressed in a model that is completely controlled by the Transport Administration. It is therefore necessary to find a development and management model that meets all requirements.

The review has shown that experiences in other countries are interesting reference points for future discussions of how Sweden should handle issues associated to model development, model use, management, ownership open access and input data. In order to draw more far-reaching conclusions for the Swedish stake holders, the development in neighboring countries should be followed even in future, and this review possibly be followed by an in-depth study.

LinkLink, a high quality city public transport network is discussed in the city of Linköping’s new strategic plan and transport strategy. High quality public transport is seen as an important part of city and municipal development in general. When planning new residential areas, commercial areas and other issues linked to the city's land use, public transport must form an integrated part of the planning process.
Even other policy decisions, that impact transportation, such as catchment areas for schools and social services, should take into account public transport mobility and opportunities. This implies that local political bodies should have full control over public transport decisions and can be used as a tool to achieve various objectives. A complication in Sweden is that public transport planning is not an integrated part of the municipal planning organisation, at least not at the same level and extent as urban and traffic planning is. Expertise and knowledge of public transport requirements and design have been collected under a Public Transport Authority and partly disappeared from the municipal organisation.
Traditionally, municipal planning is divided into engineering, technical transport planning, and an architectural, humanistic town planning with different perspectives and knowledge and educational traditions. The planning organisation for public transport within the municipality should therefore consist of a collective, integrated body with expertise on traffic, town and transport planning issues. The body should encompass a significant strategic content and be connected to a political board that has an overall responsibility for the development of the city. Bringing together these elements in a functional entity is a major challenge that few Swedish cities have achieved, but this is a fundamental requirement if tramway projects are to be a successful part of urban development projects.
The report briefly describes a process that can serve as a checklist for the municipality. The process model is based on research of modern light tramway system, that was developed both in Sweden and internationally during the past decade, and on interviews with officials and politicians in the Swedish towns and regions where planning for the expansion or new build of tramway networks is in progress. The lead process in the model is an assessment of how the implementation of a tramway network can be achieved based on the conditions that apply to Swedish cities in general and with a city of Linköping size in particular.
The process model is divided into different stages that should be taken in order to be able to implement a future network. The implementation of the process model’s different elements also means that knowledge and decisions are sufficient for the municipality to decide on future direction and if or when the next step in the implementation process should be taken.
The change which the municipality must work for is to not allow traffic planning, associated with public transport initiatives or other measures resulting from the assumed traffic strategy, to be developed separate from the strategic plan. Linköping’s new strategic plan addresses traffic and transport planning "horizontally". It is considered at the same level and in sequence with other parts of the planning process. The strategic plan should instead be more "vertical" with a clear foundation in which proposals can be built upon. To ensure that investment in tramways will be motivated, transport planning should ensure that a future public transport network forms part of this foundation. This implies in turn that the municipality determines early with as much precision as possible what the future tramway network should look like. The first step is then to operate the LinkLink network with a priority bus service and then work towards conversion of the network to a tramway system.
Finally, it should be noted that the development of LinkLink is a long term process which means that prevailing conditions may change. This could result in some changes to the original LinkLink plans. By keeping the total perspective in view, combined with clear verbal and visual communication to the public, policy makers and other relevant bodies, there is the possibility to create an understanding of the necessary changes.