...
Finally! The light rail opens - after a long and hard birth | BT Society - www.bt.dk Saturday it finally happens. With a one and a half year delay, the light rail welcomes the first passengers on board. "I'm really looking forward to it," says operations director Dan Ravn. The inauguration of the historically expensive infrastructure project kicks off on Saturday at 11.00, when the light rail runs its first trip from Hjallese Station towards Tarup Center. The director admits that the day has been a long time coming. "It is ten years of work that finally culminates, and it has been almost hard to believe that it is now that it will happen," says Dan Ravn. The inauguration will be celebrated at the 26 stations, which are located along the 14.5 kilometer long driving route, and there will also be an official opening party in front of the town hall from 12.00 to 14.00. But the road to the opening has, to say the least, been paved with problems for Odense Light Rail. The light rail was originally supposed to have opened at the end of 2020, but along the way, the premiere has had to be postponed three times. Delays that have resulted in significant extra costs for the construction, if the total construction budget runs up to DKK 3.6 billion. Then there were those whom Odense Letbane downgraded as late as April. However, not enough for that one. "I am left with the impression that they did not want to face the realities," was the conclusion from traffic researcher at Aalborg University, Niels Melchior, after a review of the light rail's new forecast, which he called "very optimistic". It may even end up with the bill for the operation of the light rail being of a completely different size than planned. If it does not succeed in getting the 9.8 million expected passengers to board the light rail in the first full year of operation in 2023, then according to the light rail's own 'worst case calculations', the Odense taxpayers expect an extra bill of up to 22 million kroner. A bill that comes on top of the 68 million that the municipality is already obliged to pay annually for the operation. Dan Ravn, Director of Operations and Maintenance, Odense Light Rail. Photo: Odense Letbane. There has been a lot of criticism and writings about delays, about finances and optimistic passenger forecasts. How are you doing with this prior to the opening? "It has been a long process," admits Dan Ravn, who, however, believes that the city after the opening will open its eyes to the bliss of the light rail: "I think it is a pleasant driving experience, and I believe and hope that it is right many Odense residents and people from outside who get the same experience. ”Stories about light rail neighbors who are from passing light rail trains have characterized the media in the weeks leading up to the opening. In fact, the neighbors feel so bothered by the track that they recently met for a protest meeting to, among other things, discuss the idea of a demonstration against the light rail on the opening day. "There were people who have had mental problems from what was going on, people who have had their homes destroyed," said light rail neighbor and organizer, John Hr Hansen, after the meeting. This also led the operations director to acknowledge that the aim is not to reduce noise. “We are working intensely to get to the bottom of all conditions that can affect noise levels. We are not giving up, I would like to state that, "said in this connection from operations director, Dan Ravn. Several challenges thus lie ahead, even though the light rail will run from Saturday. What is your home worth? POLICE: Accusation BERLINGSKE usa teitur abroad usa Danish sale berlingske Dystert Drabssag Berlingske Media A / S Pilestræde 34 DK-1147 København KTlf. +45 33 75 75 33 CVR.no .: 29 20 73 13