Cross-border transport infrastructure planning in the Nordic Region : an introduction

• Main Authors: Lundgren, Anna, Löfving, Linnea, Westin, Lars
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: Nordregio, Stockholm, Sweden 2023
• Subjects: Cross-border infrastructure; transport planning; Nordic; Regions; Kvarken Council; EGTC; Gränsöverskridande infrastruktur; transportplannering; Norden; nordisk; KvarkenrÃ¥det; Economics; Nationalekonomi; Economic Geography; Ekonomisk geografi; Public Administration Studies; Studier av offentlig förvaltning; Mo i Rana
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:trafikverket:diva-16281; https://doi.org/10.6027/R2023:3.1403-2503

Throughout history, transport infrastructure has played a crucial role inindustrialisation, economic growth and regional development and continues to do so. In recent decades, international trade, the growth potential of extended crossborder labour markets and new connections, such as the Öresund bridge (finalised in2000) and the Fehmarn Belt connection between Denmark and Germany (to beopened in 2029), have further increased interest in cross-border transportinfrastructure. This is the first report in the NORDINFRA project, aiming at increasing knowledge ofcross-border transport infrastructure planning in the Nordic Region. The project covers four Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden) and explores institutional and other challenges and opportunities associated with better and more coordinated cross-border transport infrastructure planning. NORDINFRA is a research project financed by the Swedish Transport Administration(Trafikverket) and run by Nordregio and Umeå University. Its research methods consist of literature and document studies as well as interviews with stakeholders.Three Nordic cross-border transport infrastructure case studies have been selected:a new fixed link between Sweden and Denmark, namely the Helsingborg–Helsingör road and rail tunnel; an improved railway connection between Stockholm and Oslo; and the road and ferry connection from Mo i Rana in Norway, via Umeå in Sweden, to Vasa in Finland. This report begins with an overview of the transport infrastructure planning systemsin Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, with a focus on the policy goals, the main actors and their responsibilities within the transport infrastructure planning system, central elements of the planning process, analytical tools and tools for impact analysis. Overall, we find many similarities between the Nordic countries, although there are also important differences. In terms of transport goals, all four countries share important commonalities in that they focus on efficiency, accessibility, ...