Norway

 Hi Rafael!

We will start by asking you what you think about public transport.

Anything specific about it or just general?

Just generally about public transport.

Yes, public transport is important because it has the purpose of restricting every resident of an town area from, for example, driving a car. It should make it accessible to those who do not have access to cycling or walking and it should be an alternative for those who either cannot walk or cycle or for those who want or have to avoid private car use.

How many times a week do you take public transport?

Almost every day. To and from work every day. I take the light rail from Danmarksplass and down to Nygård, and I also go from there here

How do you think public transport works here in Bergen?

I have only lived in Bergen for 2 and a half years and I think it works quite well. I have used the "Bybane" mostly and the bus occasionally. But I think that what the county council and public transport are trying to do is going in the right direction. When you build up the public transport network, you must also ensure that it is those who almost have to use public transport who use it, so that those who can walk or cycle or use an alternative form of transport other than the car must do so. So that public transport should be accessible to as many people as possible. That is why the urban rail system exists as a concept for it to be simple, reliable and accessible for those who do not need to get off and on bus ramps, for example.

How do you think we can make public transport more attractive for people to start using?

There are many ways to do it. One is that as I said it should be accessible and reliable. So if people think that they have to walk a long way to get there to the stop, they may think that it is easiest to either walk if it requires a detour or use the car for those who actually have it. So you have to think about the distance to the nearest stop in terms of frequency and the fact that many people want to change modes of transport as few times as possible. People don't want to take 3-4 buses to get from A-B. They prefer to take a bus or a light rail (Bybane). And about the price. To make it more attractive, you have to make it competitive, so to speak, it shouldn't be so cheap to drive that people chooses a car out of the bus or light rail because it's just easy and cheap to drive.

What do you think about the prices then?

So what is happening now is that there are many incentives for people to buy electric cars and because of that it has led to increased car use in Bergen and the discussion now is that electric cars should be equated with fossil fuel cars so that the use of electric cars is not so attractive such as public transport. For example, until the new year, parking at "Bystasjonen" cost NOK 600 or 700 a month and a monthly pass for an adult on public transport costs NOK 755, so for someone who thinks that they already have a car and that it is actually very cheap to charge the car if it is an electric car and drive within the toll ring, it is very attractive to just park the car at the city station as many times as possible during a month and instead of public transport. So what you are trying to do now is to make it more attractive for people to choose the car.

What types of transport can we find to and from Bergen?

Until today there were even ferries such as Fjordline and Danskebåten. Today is the last day there will be a ferry from Bergen to Hirtshals until May because FjordLine has to rebuild the ships to switch from liquefied gas to having a hybrid engine that can run on both marine oil and LNG as it is called. Ferries can also be found to and from Sogndal and other places along the fjords. And now you have your own shuttle route and alternative buses for offers such as VY and the coastal bus or the Norway bus express. We also have air traffic, which is perhaps one of the most used offers because the air routes between Bergen and Oslo, Trondheim and Oslo and Oslo and Stavanger are the most trafficked. Which can be compared with, for example, Madrid and Barcelona, ​​which are much larger cities.

What changes are needed to improve emissions and, if so, do you have to cut the number of parking spaces?

As I said, there are measures. But then there is what I said, that you have to make it attractive to opt out of cars. So if it's too easy to be cheap and use private cars then people will do it. But if we see it as an alternative to go cycling or take public transport or that they can hear from others that it is easy and cheaper, then that is the narrative we want to convey. If everyone around you says it's easy and straightforward to take the bus or the light rail, you might think that you can start doing it.

Can traffic contribute to air pollution and what can be done to reduce it?

Yes, it can. As you probably know, fossil-fuel cars emit different gases. Everything from nitrogen containing gases, sulphite containing gases to carbon emissions. And there are those with nitrogen and sulphite that can also affect our individual health. It can affect those who have asthma or other respiratory problems. In addition to climate impact, this is why people are trying to switch from fossil cars to other vehicles, but electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles can wear out the roads and this leads to poor air quality. Especially if the tires on the cars have spikes. If you use studded tires in winter, it can wear down the roads a lot and it can cause you to almost breathe in the asphalt. That is why people try to avoid traffic in general and not just fossil fuel traffic.

How do you think we can balance the need for mobility and the need to protect the environment and reduce traffic-related emissions?

So that's what you try to do in cities like Bergen, where you try to make the local environment a place where you can do everything you need to do in everyday life, e.g. go to school, work, shop for food, have cultural or other activities. If we can cycle or do everything you want without using a vehicle then that is the best way to solve the traffic or try to make it so accessible that you don't have to drive but can reduce your transport needs as much as possible.

That was actually what we wanted to ask you, so thank you very much for many good answers!!