People
Skagerrakbanan will increase mobility and opportunities for cross-border study and research. People wishing to visit us will also find it easier to get here. Shorter journey times and better commuting conditions will make it easier to meet.
Today, around 1.8 million people live in the Oslo–Gothenburg area. Given a 20% population increase, at least 2.2 million people will live in the area in 2040. Around 400,000 more people will need eco-friendly transportation between Oslo and Gothenburg by then.
Noise affects sleep and causes cardiovascular disease. The maximum noise level for road traffic is set at 75 dB, but despite this, truck noise levels on motorways are around 90 dB, which is substantially higher. Motorways generate noise around the clock, whereas high-speed rail lines generate max 70 dB for a total of 13 minutes a day. Modern high-speed trains run much faster and are far less noisy than conventional trains, which generate more than 85 dB. What’s more, there will be no night traffic on Skagerrakbanan between midnight and 05:00, when the track will be completely silent.
Where the line passes close by built-up areas, noise barriers will often be used to minimise noise levels. The precise location of noise barriers will be determined on the basis of outcomes from noise modelling to identify areas where noise limits will be exceeded and special measures will be needed.
