An infrastructure that meets both today's and tomorrow's needs

The National Plan for the Transportation System 2010 – 2021 will have a direct impact on many customers' choice of transports in the future. The Association of Swedish Train Operators and the Swedish Shippers' Council, which is recognised as the voice of Swedish transport users, criticised the initial proposals that were published in the fall of 2009. The Swedish Shippers' Council wrote in its evaluation that the plan proposed "too little, too late" and countered that there should be a 15 percent increase in appropriations and that investments vital for rail freight traffic must be moved forward in the plan's timetable.  Examples of investments include the freight line from Bergslagen all the way to the Port of Gothenburg and double tracks on the important line Hallsberg-Mjölby toward Skåne and the Continent.

Sweden is a country that is dependent on transport, but is far down on the list when compared to other European countries in terms of operation and maintenance of the rail network. Green Cargo and the Association of Swedish Train Operators have again emphasised the need for more maintenance and re-investments. The winter of 2009-2010 distinctly stressed the need for snow removal along the tracks. If the tracks are not ploughed, ice builds up more rapidly on locomotives and wagons, which decreases operational safety.

It is in the best interest of society in general to review the available resources and methods for snowremoval from shunting yards that play a key role in commercial transports. Roads, rails, ports and airports are all important links in the chain and need to function - even during winters with large snow volumes. Green Cargo and the Association of Swedish Train Operators welcomed the Government's investigation into high speed links, which concludes that society will benefit from high speed tracks between Stockholm – Jönköping – Gothenburg and Jönköping – Skåne. This would also free capacity for increasing the number of freight trains and regional trains, which would otherwise not be possible by investing in the current rail system. However, Green Cargo and the Association of Swedish Train Operators have made it clear that an investment in high speed tracks must have separate financing and not take funds from necessary investments in the existing infrastructure.

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