– There is not one reason. It is a complex set of events that together cause us to end up in the situation we ended up in. This is what Dag Fredrik Bjørnland in Implement Consulting tells us at the press conference today. Implement Consulting is responsible for the external review of the suspension of operations on the Follobanen. The report was today handed over to Transport Minister Jon-Ivar Nygård. An internal investigation carried out by Bane Nor found that the organization experienced significant time pressure related to the opening of the Follobanen. In today’s report, it is suggested that the importance of reaching the opening date was overstated, and the report has not found clear evidence that the project was subject to a strict deadline. – We have a reflection on this time pressure. It is very clear that the project has experienced considerable pressure to deliver by 11.12, says Bjørnland and continues: – We cannot find the starting point in the governing documentation. The formal does not support the operational experience. – An understanding that there was an absolute deadline – My first reaction is that the report describes a number of causal relationships that are about how Bane Nor has handled risks during the project, Transport Minister Jon-Ivar Nygård tells news after the handover. Transport Minister Jon-Ivar Nygård asked for an external review of the Follobanen project after a crisis meeting between Bane Nor, the Norwegian Railway Inspectorate, the Norwegian Railway Directorate and the ministry. Photo: Håkon Mosvold Larsen / NTB – The technical conditions have been known for quite some time. That there were challenges with cable splicing, and that there was alkaline water dripping onto insulators, he continues. Nygård believes that the ministry has not come up with a clear deadline for the project, but that those internally at Bane Nor probably experienced the delays as stressful: – The Folloban line was initially delayed by a year. There may have been a feeling of stress to meet a new opening time in the organization Bane Nor. At least these findings indicate that, says Nygård. – From the ministry’s side, we have not stated any decisive time, but it is not surprising that they have operated with an understanding that there was an absolute deadline, he adds. Highlights a number of learning points At the press conference, Dag Fredrik Bjørnland also presents a number of learning points: – One is reporting. In the period we have looked at, which is the last two or three years, a lot happens. There are many difficult decisions. Ensuring that everyone has access to good information at the right time is essential, he says and continues: These are the recommendations from the report * Reporting to the Ministry of Transport should be simplified. * The reporting from the management of Bane Nor in critical phases should be followed up to ensure learning that significant risks are reported more clearly, so that the board can more easily implement measures. * It should be considered to have separate reporting to group management and the board for mega-projects. * A separate risk assessment should be established which is specifically aimed at the operating situation. – In the reporting that comes from the project, and finally to the ministry, we see that there is a need for simplification and clarification. The introduction of a steering group is also highlighted in the report. – This could have ensured wider discussion, and earlier involvement of the board and CEO, says Bjørnland. Closed a week after opening The Follobanen closed to traffic just over a week after opening in December 2022. Transport Minister Jon-Ivar Nygård (Ap) asked for a complete picture of what happened and why. And what measures are necessary to prevent this from happening again. The review was launched after a crisis meeting in January. Several in the opposition in Parliament have been critical of the handling of the project both by Bane Nor and from the minister’s side. André N. Skjelstad (V) sits on the transport and communications committee at the Storting. He hopes they can finish this matter soon. Photo: Berit Roald / NTB scanpix – I hope they manage to complete this project soon. That it will not be a serial like Romeriksporten, says André Skjelstad (V) to news before the report is published. He hopes that lessons can be learned from this that can stand up over time. – After all, this has cost close to NOK 40 billion, says Skjelstad. The closure of the Follobanen The Follobanen opened on 11 December 2022, but had to be closed nine days later, on 19 December. From this date, train traffic between Oslo and Ski ran as before: on the “old” Østfold line. The Follobanen reopened on 5 March 2023. During the closure, troubleshooting and fault rectification took place. Preliminary calculations show that this has cost around NOK 80 million. The fire and the development of smoke had major traffic consequences, but meant little risk to people and nature. The incident did not lead to personal injuries or damage to the environment. Source: Bane Nor Warning before opening King Harald cut the cord on the new section between Oslo and Ski opened on 11 December 2022. King Harald and Mayor of Oslo Marianne Borgen at the official opening of the Follobanen in December 2022 Photo: Lise Åserud But after only nine days Blixtunnelen and Follobanen were closed. Then there was a lot of back and forth about when it could open. And it did not open again until March 5, 2023. Then there was a lot that had to be tested again and many mistakes were corrected. Part of the problem for the Follobanen was the return current system. This was warned about in October 2022 in a report from Norconsult. On the Folloban line, a solution was used for return current that had not been used before in Norway. 2.4 kilometers of power cables in the Blixtunnel had to be replaced after the opening. Photo: Rolf Petter Olaisen / news Norconsult believed, among other things, that the calculations for how hot the cables would become were not credible. The report was commissioned by Bane Nor itself because the solutions were new. Bad time for opening Bane Nor took over the Blixtunnel from the contractor AGJV on 2 November. It was only five weeks before opening. Among other things, the opening date was set based on a major route change. The track was test run, but not with full traffic. A large preparedness exercise was also carried out with the emergency services during the month and a half before the opening. More reports on the project This report is one of three reports on the Follobanen. The first was an internal investigation in Bane Nor, and in week 26 there will be an external report from PwC that Bane Nor has requested. The Folloban is Norway’s most expensive transport project. It cost NOK 36.8 billion and took 13 years to build. The map shows the section to Follobanen between Ski and Oslo, which halved the journey time to 11 minutes.
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The Minister of Transport accepts an external report on the suspension of operations on the Folloban – news Oslo and Viken – Local news, TV and radio
