English Summary

About us
The light rail organisation was established in 2007 as a joint project between the Councils of Stavanger, Sandnes and Sola and the County Council of Rogaland. We are located in the same building as Rogaland County Council in Stavanger. The light rail project organisation has a staff of seven people as of September 2010. In addition there are several consultants from different companies working with us.

Why do we need the tram?
One of the consequences of growing prosperity in the Region is busier roads. More people want to travel in and around the region, especially by car. Nord-Jæren is the fastest growing region in Norway, and by 2040 the population is expected to increase from 270000 to 350000.
 

Roads in the Stavanger, Sandnes and Sola Region are heavily trafficked and, in spite of the construction of new roads, congestion will worsen in the years to come. It is crucial to be forward-thinking and manage our ‘growing pains’ if we are to keep our city moving smoothly. We need to plan for these growing needs in a sustainable way that supports our economic well-being and at the same time minimises the impact on our travel time/travel experience and upon air quality and the environment.

Access to available opportunities
We need to find ways to maintain this growth to ensure our urban areas continue to offer a good quality of life to residents. We also want to make sure that all community groups have access
to the opportunities available.

Expansion in the region will take place within established areas and within specific areas such as Jåttåvågen, Forus and Lura. The growing population will need better transport facilities and choices to help residents, businesses and facilities be well connected within the region.

Transport improvements
Buses are a mainstay of any public transport system, serving local areas, and with the
flexibility to tailor and adjust services to meet demand.

Stavanger, Sandnes and Sola have good bus and local train services. However, further public transport improvements are essential to keep pace with increasing growth in both population and businesses. Given the rising congestion in the region and the need to provide better quality public transport, buses are not the answer on their own. Since they often have to share the road network with other users, buses are prone to suffer consequences of road congestion, which means less reliability and higher operating costs. Even where buses are segregated from other traffic, they have limitations in terms of capacity. Whilst more buses might be driven to offer more capacity on routes with high demand, the presence of large numbers of buses in our relatively small urban centres will have adverse impacts upon their quality.

A sound investment
If our region does not invest in its transport system, congestion will continue to increase, and will cost residents and businesses time and money. Our competitive position may be threatened both nationally and internationally, and recent economic success could be slowed down or even reversed. That is why an efficient, reliable and attractive tram network is a sound investment for the Region’s future success.

Tram network – an addition to public transportation.
The tram network is planned to operate closely with bus and local train services. We are also aiming for an integrated network including joint ticketing as well as good quality interchanges between modes.
Some bus routes will might be changed when the tram network starts operating – but they will be replaced with an even better alternative!

The dependability of trams and impact on investment
The flexibility that buses enjoy means that they can in theory react to changing needs. However, this also means that people or businesses moving into an area cannot be sure that a particular route or frequency will remain, and this can affect confidence in the public transport offer and influence investment decisions. Trams, however, are a more permanent public transport solution, and have been shown to increase property prices in areas where they have been introduced.

Trams play an important part in helping to improve the image of the cities where they are introduced, producing increased vibrancy which can translate into investment and jobs. There is substantial experience worldwide of the positive impact a tram network can have on a city, improving the urban economy and quality of life. Buses and bus lanes on their own cannot deliver these benefits and may in fact detract from the quality of life where they are intensively used.

Trams and the environment
The tram network will enhance our region’s reputation as a desirable place to live, work and visit. The quality of the region’s environment is important in creating and maintaining this image. The tram system will reduce the negative impacts of motor traffic in terms of safety, noise and air quality.

Trams create no on-street emissions as they are electrically powered. As experienced in other cities, a significant number of car drivers will choose to leave their cars at home in favour of travelling by tram, which will also help to reduce the emissions in the city.

There is of course also a global responsibility in terms of emissions where transport represents a large proportion of our emissions and one that continues to grow. Trams using electricity generated from hydro power generate very low carbon dioxide emissions. However, one should take account of the fact that much of the electricity within the overall European market continues to be generated by thermal power stations. Nevertheless, trams are a highly energy efficient means of transport and the carbon dioxide emissions associated with the generation of electricity will be balanced and offset by this efficiency and by the reduction in emissions from those drivers choosing to travel by tram rather than car in the future.

Land use
Development of the network will mean some changes in the use of land along the route, however, most of the route is within or alongside existing roads and transport corridors, so the land impact will be minimal. Land will be needed for construction compounds, but these are temporary and the land will be returned back to its original use when construction ends.

Where will the tram network run?
The first phase consists of:
•    Stavanger – Sandnes, via Kvadrat
•    Stavanger – Sola flyplass, via Forus
•    Sandnes – Sola flyplass, via Forus.

First phase will connect the three centres of Stavanger, Sandnes and Sola. The airport and important business area at Forus are also included.

Location of stopping places
It is not yet decided where the actual stops will be. That will be decided after close evaluation and thorough planning processes. Naturally, the location of some stops is more or less evident, but the majority of stops will require more evaluation in order to locate the optimal locations. Clearly it is important that the new tram system is easily accessible through well located stopping places.