Norway’s fastest growing region invests in rail

Stavanger, on the west coast of Norway, is the country’s oil capital. The city and the surrounding Jæren region have consistently enjoyed the fastest population growth in Norway since the oil boom started in the early 1970s. The Jæren line from Egersund to Stavanger is a continuation of the Sørland line linking Oslo with the south of the country. Extensive modernisation of the rail system in Jæren is now under way, with well over NOK 2bn due to be invested over the next few years.

After many years of stagnation in local services, a new timetable offering many more departures was introduced in 1992. This was well received by the market, and traffic has increased fourfold from 1992 to date. The current single-track line is now operating at full capacity, making further increases in traffic impossible. Construction of a double-track line between Sandnes and Stavanger is therefore under way and scheduled for completion in 2010. In future, the line will be the region’s main public transport artery. Double-tracking will facilitate a doubling of the number of trains between Bryne and Stavanger.

Old line

The Jæren line opened in 1878 as a narrow-gauge line from Egersund to Stavanger. The Sørland route from Oslo to Stavanger was completed in 1944 during World War II. At the same time, the Jæren line was upgraded to standard gauge. In 1956 the line was electrified and in 1992, the current pattern of local services was introduced.

Welcome improvements

The double track and the Ganddal freight terminal under construction are both vital to the economic development of Jæren and are welcome improvements in a region where the roads are already overcrowded at peak times. In the early 1990s, local politicians adopted a Transport Strategy for North Jæren in which upgrading of the Sandnes–Stavanger line was identified as the key to improving public transport and switching passenger traffic from road to rail.

Freight terminal

Rail freight traffic in Norway is enjoying strong growth. A number of capacity enhancements are in hand to increase rail’s role in freight transport. Major projects include construction of a new freight terminal at Ganddal near Sandnes, at a cost of NOK 458m. When the terminal opens by the end of the year, cargo handling will be transferred to Ganddal from downtown Stavanger. This will remove freight from the Sandnes–Stavanger line, freeing up capacity for additional passenger services in the future. This is the link between the two major rail development projects in Jæren.

Higher capacity

The Ganddal terminal covers an area of 34 hectares, comprising a forwarding area, marshalling tracks and three 600-metre loading tracks. The new terminal will have significantly greater capacity and flexibility than its predecessor in Stavanger. Coupled with other upgrading projects on the Sørland line, the new terminal will make it possible to run longer and heavier freight trains from Oslo to Stavanger and back in the space of 24 hours. Operating costs will be substantially reduced. In geographical terms, Ganddal is well located with good access to Jæren’s highway network.

Urban rail

Closure of the Stavanger freight terminal will free up capacity between Sandnes and Stavanger. Once the double track opens, capacity on this section will increase fivefold, making it possible to introduce additional stops and transfer significant traffic volumes from road to rail. The double track will also provide the basis for a future urban rail network in North Jæren, including a link to Sola airport.

Additional departures

The double track and three new halts will bring a major increase in capacity. A double-track railway can transport the same number of passengers at peak times as two four-lane highways side by side. The plan is to operate a train every 15 minutes between Sandnes and Stavanger, in place of the current half-hourly service.

Increased market share

Rail currently has a 30–50% share of the commuter market between south and north Jæren. The objective is to double rail’s market share over 10 years. To increase rail’s market share, more capacity and additional halts are needed between Stavanger and Sandnes. The only way to achieve this is by double-tracking.

New halts

Construction of the new double track began in October 2006, when Liv Signe Navarsete, Minister of Transport and Communications, performed a ground-breaking ceremony. If everything goes according to plan, the project will be completed in late 2010. On the 14.5km section, a new track is being built alongside the existing track, and three new halts are to be constructed. These will incorporate access for the disabled and public information systems. The current line will be upgraded and technical installations renewed. The total cost of the upgrade is approximately NOK 1.8bn.

Challenges

The upgrading project presents numerous challenges, since it passes through a densely populated area. Noise barriers are being constructed along the line and Jernbaneverket is funding façade improvements to a number of properties, in order to ensure that train noise does not exceed accepted norms. Train services will operate as normal for the duration of the project, with the exception of six months in 2010 when the Sandnes–Stavanger section will be closed to all traffic. Space is very tight in several locations on the route and to reduce the impact on lineside properties, a number of supporting structures in stone and concrete are being erected. Double-tracking will necessitate construction of various new bridges and underpasses. The newest bridges are already designed to accommodate a double track, while older structures will require upgrading. In all, 23 underpasses are to be improved.

Environmental benefits

Local politicians in Jæren have identified environmentally friendly transport and reduced land use as a basis for future development. A modern rail system has clear benefits in terms of the environment, safety and land use. Rail reduces the environmental impact of transport, relieves congestion and improves road safety. Jernbaneverket is giving high priority to upgrading the rail system in and around Norway’s major cities.

Noise barriers

The project has been the first to use low noise barriers located close to the track at a height of around 0.75 metres. These will replace high barriers on sections where the latter spoil the view (e.g. overlooking the Gandsfjord). The low barriers have roughly the same effect as conventional high noise barriers, since they are located so near the track. In total, 6.3km of low noise barriers and 3.5km of conventional high barriers are to be erected along the line. In addition, approximately 60 properties will receive localized noise shielding and some 330 homes are being considered for façade improvements.

Trackside path

At the same time as when the double track is built, a 6km trackside path is to be constructed between Lura and Kvalaberg, in a joint project between Jernbaneverket and the cities of Sandnes and Stavanger. This will provide opportunities for walking and cycling amid beautiful surroundings, as well as providing access to the beaches along the lovely Gandsfjord.