Transport Strategy of the Barents Region 2008

6.2.2008

Transport Strategy of the Barents Region 2008

Conclusions of STBR Process 2003–2007

1 Sustainable Transport in the Barents Region – STBR

Sustainable Transport in the Barents Region – STBR area comprises the northern counties of Sweden (Norrbotten and Västerbotten), Finland (Lapland, Kainuu and Oulu Region), Norway (Finnmark, Troms and Nordland) as well as the Northwest Russia (Murmansk, Karelia and Archangelsk). The objective of the STBR process was to create jointly a strategy for transport sector by addressing all the modes of transport (road, rail, air and sea) and bringing them into an intermodal transport system encompassing the entire Barents Region.

STBR started with its first phase spanning over the years 2003–2005 and the second phase continued over the years 2006–2007.

STBR phase I was financed by 25 regional and national authorities in Finland, Sweden and Norway together with the European Union Regional Development Fund within the Baltic Sea Region Interreg IIIB Neighbourhood Programme.

STBR phase II was jointly funded by Baltic Sea Region Interreg IIIB Neighbourhood and Tacis programs and 26 project partners from Finland, Sweden, Norway and North-West Russia.

County Administrative Board of Norrbotten was the lead partner of STBR process. Other partners were

- County Administrative Board of Västerbotten, Sweden

- Regional Council of Lapland, Finland

- Council of Oulu Region, Finland

- Joint Authority of Kainuu Region Office, Finland

- Finnmark County Authority, Norway

- Nordland County Council, Norway

- County of Troms, Norway

- Archangelsk Regional Administration, Russia

- Murmansk Regional Administration, Russia

- Republic of Karelia, Ministry of Economics, Russia

- Swedish Ministry of Industry, Employment and Communications, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs

- Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communications, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs

- Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications

- Swedish National Rail, Northern Region

- Finnish Rail Administration

- Norwegian Railway Administration

- Swedish Road Administration, Northern Re-gion

- Finnish Road Administration, Oulu District

- Finnish Road Administration, Lappi District

- Norwegian Public Roads Administration, Region North

- Port of Luleå, Sweden

- Port of Oulu Finland

- Port of Narvik Norway

- Norwegian National Coastal Administration, Nordland

- Norwegian National Coastal Administration, Troms and Finnmark

2 Transport Strategy of the Barents Region

Transport Strategy of the Barents Region is mainly a summary of the results of STBR phase I and II. In addition a draft Transport Strategy for the North-West Federal District of Russia and some other strategies were also examined. The transport strategy aims at achieving a common vision of the region’s transport system in the foreseeable future.

3 Implementing the transport system and developing the cooperation

3.1 Future cooperation

Transport cooperation in the Barents region will be strengthened. Special notice will be on strengthen-ing the cooperation between the Nordic countries and the Russian North-West Association, and implementing the best practices. Also the cooperation and coordination with the other projects and initiatives will be strengthened. Common transport system of the Barents region will be produced in cooperation.

By promoting together the whole Barents region, special characteristics of the region are better taking into consideration in national and EU level. New alternative ways to finance planning and development of the infrastructure are searched together. Also transport statistics and data collection will be harmonized, and exchange of the data and information will be made easier.

3.2 Model for following up the promotion and implementation of the cooperation measures

A task force will be established, which will take the responsibility of preparing the ways and means of the future transport cooperation in the Barents region. Future cooperation will concentrate on more concrete projects and implementation of the best practices.

One possible alternative would be to establish forums to develop each transport mode, and create an umbrella, Barents Transport Forum, over all the transport modes to coordinate the whole transport system of the Barents region.

Figure 1. Tentative proposal for the model of transport cooperation in the Barents region.

Ways and means of the cooperation will be changed along with the needs at each time. However, it is important to create a permanent way of cooperation, because projects like STBR have limited life time. Most important objectives of the future cooperation are to strength the multi-national cooperation network, promote the Barents region in national and international level, and implement rec-ommendations from STBR phase I and II, which are presented in chapter 4.

4 Recommendations for Authorities and Decision Makers

4.1 General Development

Regional councils and administrations must continue strengthening transport cooperation in the Barents region. In particular, they have to define the main international transport corridors in cooperation with other authorities and stakeholders. They also represent Barents region in the national level.

Policy Main Projects

1. Develop effective ways for transport cooperation in the Barents region

2. Define objectives for the develop-ment of the regional infrastructure

3. Create the Transport Policy of the Barents region

4. Identify and prioritise the most im-portant horizontal and vertical transport corridors of international importance

5. Identify methods of financing and lobby them

6. Coordinate the projects and initia-tives related to the transport corri-dors

7. Incorporate transport corridors in the regional land use plans, and national transport development programmes and plans ▫ Norther Axis / N.E.W. Multimodal Corridor: Narvik- Haparanda -Tornio-Vartius-St. Petersburg; the corridor connects the EU with Norway and Russia in the Barents region. Furthermore, it is part of a longer transport corridor between Asia and northern America

▫ Motorway of the Baltic Sea: One of the Motorways of the Seas which Commission proposed. Corridor will enable to develop transport chains based on sea transport more competitive.

▫ Northern Maritime Corridor (Northeast Passage): Corridor connects North-West Russia and northern Norway to the North Sea ports of the EU and Asia.

▫ Salla Corridor: Northern Norway and Sweden-Tornio-Salla-Kantalahti-Murmansk; the corridor enables the linkage of northern Europe and the Murmansk region.

▫ Bothnian Corridor: Stockholm-Haparanda-Tornio-Helsinki; the corridor connects the Barents region to the capitals of Finland, Sweden and Norway.

▫ Barents Link: Narvik-Haaparanta-Tornio-Vartius-Archangelsk –Perm; the corridor connects Nordic countries with the North-West Russian regions of Karelia, Archangelsk, Komi and eventually Perm.

4.2 Railways

National rail authorities must improve the rail transport, particularly cross-border traffic.

Policy Main Projects

1. Develop the international rail transport cooperation

2. Develop the railway and terminal infrastructure which supports the main transport corridors

3. Improve the conditions of cross-border traffic at borders

4. Develop the terminal performance and feeder traffic Short term

▫ Form a cooperation forum to develop rail transport in the Barents region

▫ Open all existing railway sections to the international transport

▫ Improve the availability of wagons especially in Russia

▫ Develop all important terminals

▫ Simplify the tariff system in Russia

Long term

▫ Build missing railway connections to increase the competitiveness of rail transport

▫ Increase the bearing capacity of tracks

▫ Maintain also low volume railway sections in a reason-able condition

▫ Develop also smaller terminals

▫ Obtain wagons and locomotives suitable for different gauges

▫ Improve the multipurpose use of the wagons

4.3 Regional Aviation

Aviation authorities, airports and airlines should develop air traffic in cooperation with the regional administrations.

Policy Main Projects

1. Create a cooperation framework for regional aviation

2. Support existing and new flight connections, as well as marketing and promotion of the air service

3. Develop financing systems for air transport

4. Improve airports and their infrastructure Short term

▫ Establish the Barents Aviation Focal Point Network

▫ Maintain the existing flight connections

- Luleå-Kiruna-Tromsø

- Archangelsk-Murmansk-Tromsø

- Kirkenes-Murmansk

▫ Develop the transverse flight connections, such as:

- Luleå - Oulu/ Rovaniemi - Murmansk

▫ Support marketing and promotion activities, and infor-mation systems

▫ Improve the feeder transport and develop travel

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