The Swedish Government has granted a co-financing of SDK 900 million (EUR 87.5 million) to Uppsala Municipality for the city’s first light rail.
Thus, the first light rail, called Ultunal, will connect Bergsbrunna rail station to Uppsala city centre, via Fyrisån, Ultuna and Gottsunda.
The railway will be built to cope with the transport demand in the south of Uppsala by 2030.
According to a previous analysis, two alternatives have been considered for the urban transport system, a light rail and a rapid bus line.
Construction costs for the light rail were estimated at SDK 4 billion (EUR 340 million). Costs with the operation and maintenance of the railway on a period of 60 years were estimated at SDK 3 billion (EUR 292 million).
On the other hand, costs for the rapid bus line were estimated at SDK 1.4 billion (EUR 136 million), plus SDK 3.9 billion (EUR 380 million) for the operation and maintenance of the railway on a period of 60 years.
Uppsala Municipality said the Government in Stockholm agreed to grant a co-financing on condition the authorities chose to build a light rail, not a bus line.
Moreover, in this case, the municipality would receive a government co-financing, plus SDK 1.5 billion (EUR 146 million) from exploiting the associated land.
Thus, the whole cost for the construction of the first light rail in Uppsala amounts to SDK 5.1 billion (EUR 496 million).
According to an agreement signed between the municipality and the Swedish Government, Ultunal line will have to be completed in time for the inauguration of Bergsbrunna railway station, estimated for 2029. Consequently, the municipality will launch works for the first light rail in 2024.
The project is part of a more complex strategy which includes the construction of 33.000 homes in Uppsala region, as well as the quadruplication of the northern section of Stockholm-Uppsala railway and the construction of a new central railway station in Nysala, south of Uppsala.
Photo: pylad.se
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