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On Monday night, the Progress Party and the ruling party agreed on the state budget for next year.
Frp has provided NOK 75 million for the start of the construction of the Stad ship tunnel in 2021.
– We make sure the project comes and goes in 2021 with just under NOK 100 million in the first year. Then the remaining billions will come later, Helge André Njåstad tells NRK.
He is a parliamentary representative of Frp of Hordaland.
In addition, the party has fought 35 million crowns on the national road 13 in Hardanger, where in the summer there is our traffic chaos and long lines.
Njåstad admits that the sum is far from sufficient to improve the road between Kinsarvik and Bjotveit.
– But it is better than zero crowns, which has been our starting point for many years. It is an important milestone that we start spending money on that path, says Njåstad.
GOOD FRIENDS: Stad Ship Tunnel project leader Randi Humborstad met with Frp parliamentary representatives earlier this fall.
Photo: growth of Måløy
Hareide drop project
Both projects were abandoned by Transport Minister Knut Arild Hareide in October because he could not find money for them.
This despite the fact that all four parties have spoken warmly about the ship tunnel in particular for many years.
At the same time, Parliamentary Representative Jon Georg Dale promised that the FRP would secure a parliamentary majority for the start of construction of the ship tunnel, something in which local KrF members put their trust.
“The shovel must be on the ground, the dynamite salve must be on the rock,” Dale said.
In the alternative state FRP budget, NOK 75 million has been reserved for the ship tunnel.
They have now got the government to kick-start construction, which will likely be in late 2021 after the bidding processes end, according to Njåstad.
– In this way we reached a turning point, so now the ship tunnel will arrive. The project has been ready for a long time, says Frp’s parliamentary representative in Hordaland.
– We are building it to create safe traffic for everyone along the Stadhavet, a sea very exposed to the elements. In addition, we get a tourist magnet that will mean a lot for tourism, and we connect Sunnmøre more closely with western Norway, says Njåstad.
KrF and V rejoice
KrF political spokesman Tore Storehaug calls the whole affair “an important statement for the coast of Norway.”
– It is very good that Frp has raised the ship tunnel to budget. Knut Arild is clear that it is only about money. We now have the brochure in place, Storehaug says.
Stad Mayor Alfred Bjørlo (V) also rejoiced at the news.
– It’s December 1 and a bigger trap door couldn’t be opened on the Christmas calendar. It’s absolutely fantastic, says Bjørlo.
Now he is sure that there will be part of the ship tunnel worth 2.7 billion crowns.
– Now it’s safe. I start leaving the state budget means that now it begins and then it is completed, says the mayor.
– Fantastic
The project leader for the Stad Ship Tunnel, Randi Humborstad, is very happy with the news.
– This was absolutely fantastic. This is a big day for coastal residents and businesses who have been waiting for decades for the government to give the green light to build the world’s first ship tunnel, he says.
Humborstad says the project has undergone numerous excavations and people on the coast have been disappointed many times. Now I am glad that Frp has delivered what they promised.
– Now work is beginning on the construction of the Stad ship tunnel, he says.
VIEW FROM: Here you can see both sides of what will be the Stad Ship Tunnel.
Photo: Illustration from the Norwegian Coastal Administration
Longer road, less money
In the alternative FRP budget, the party reserved NOK 85 million for National Highway 13 between Kyrkjeneset and Bjotveit.
They have now included the section to Kinsarvik, but the sum has been more than halved to 35 million kronor.
However, there is no guarantee that National Highway 13 through Hardanger will enter the National Long Term Transportation Plan (NTP).
– But we will negotiate with the government this spring about it, says Njåstad.
The mayor of Ullensvang, Roald Aga Haug (Labor Party), is a bit disappointed that the sum was not greater.
– In fact, we need NOK 120 million and we expected at least NOK 85 million next year. But a start-up is important anyway, says Haug.
The mayor of Eidfjord, Anders Vatle (Sp), in the neighboring municipality, is a little doubtful about the budget advance.
– Although I have understood this correctly, it seems that there will be money for planning and preparing a proper update, and not just immediate measures. That’s a good thing, says Vatle.
