Cable cars crossing the river by 2021

Transcription

1 Establishing urban cable cars in Gothenburg Strategic choice of measures study: Cable cars crossing the river by 2021 Approved by the Transport Committee, 15 June 2016

2 Please note; this English version of this document has been translated from the original Swedish. If any discrepancies are found, it is the Swedish version which applies. No claims can be made on the grounds of incorrect translation from Swedish to English. Strategic choice of measures study: Cable cars crossing the river by 2021 Establishing urban cable cars in Gothenburg Dnr 2367/15 The Urban Transport Administration, City of Gothenburg. Organization Number: (0) Document status: Approved by the Transport Committee June 15, 2016 Officials responsible: Per Bergström Jonsson and Emma Josefson of the Urban Transport Administration. Front page picture: Illustration of a cable car arriving at a station at Järntorget Companies commissioned by the Urban Transport Administration to investigate cable cars: Tyréns, ÅF, Ramböll, KTH, Koucky & Partner, Anna Stenlöf Konsult, Captario, Arby Kommunikation, Sweco Civil, Frank & Earnest, HUI, Preera, Academic Work, Cable Car Consultants GmbH, Zatran GmbH. All images and diagrams are the property of the City of Gothenburg unless otherwise stated.

3 Introduction A strategic choice of measures study is one of the instruments that we at the Urban Transport Administration in Gothenburg use to create greater clarity and transparency in our processes. In brief, a strategic choice of measures study results in a report which describes and documents the choice of a solution to a specific problem or need. This type of study focuses primarily on answering what, why and where questions, while subsequent implementation studies go into issues of how, when and who. This is the first time the Urban Transport Administration has been involved with cable car transportation and technology, and it has been necessary to work with many issues simultaneously both at strategic and more detailed levels. This strategic choice of measures study was submitted for comments during the spring of Views, statements and comments from the Urban Transport Administration are described in a separate consultation document. The document also describes revisions to the study, from consultation to approval stages. Implementation study Strategic choice of measures Choice of measures and other possible ways of meeting requirements. Why?Where?Where? Local development plan Clarification of legal situation System and procurement requirements Detailed studies of planning requirements, costing, the national interest How? Who? When? Project planning & procurement Specifications System documentation for project planning Construction Process diagram showing the stages of the Urban Transport Administration planning process, as applied to cable cars. This report corresponds to the stage on the far left. The idea for an urban cable car system originally came from the residents of Gothenburg. This report summarizes how the Transport Committee has approached the idea. Johan Nyhus, June 2016 Stefan Eglinger, June 2016 Chairperson of the Transport Committee The City of Gothenburg Sweden Director of Urban Transport Administration The City of Gothenburg Sweden

4 Summary Urban cable cars can be used in many ways. The City of Gothenburg s Urban Transport Administration believes that its intentions and choices, described in this strategic choice of measures study, will make our system one of the most useful urban cable car systems in the world. We will give full consideration as to how to connect the system to the existing urban environment, both at local and city levels, and intend for it to be reliable, safe, accessible, fast and economical for all those involved. The Urban Transport Administration suggests that the first urban cable car line shall run between Järntorget and Wieselgrensplatsen, via Lindholmen and Lundby. The line will be characterized by high quality and careful design, ensuring that this form of transport is popular with passengers, visitors and Gothenburg residents alike. We believe that this first cable car link will improve life for residents in surrounding areas who need active support to catch up with other urban districts, create favourable conditions for expansion close to the line, and contribute to the further development of the tourist industry in the Gothenburg region. This strategic choice of measures study is not open-ended, as Gothenburg Urban Transport Administration received a commission to investigate the construction of a cable car link across the river. This is the reason why one of the twelve objectives examined by the Urban Transport Administration states that, "the traffic solution should be a cable car". The Urban Transport Administration emphasizes the word "should" in this sentence. The purpose of the strategic choice of measures is to consolidate and clarify the conclusions of earlier studies on cable car links in Gothenburg ahead of upcoming political decision to establish an urban cable car system in the city. The aim is to present and explain the kind of cable car system which should be introduced in order to fulfil the goals of the municipality and the region. The aim is also to compare cable cars with other transport solutions, to see whether they would be able to create value equivalent to cable car systems. This strategic choice of measures study describes the Urban Transport Administration's investigation, over the two years since the publication of our pre-study in autumn 2013, into the possibility of a cable car link. The strategic choice of measures study was commissioned in spring 2016 and a revised version approved by the Transport Committee in June The views expressed, and Urban Transport's replies to them, can be read in a separate consultation document. In parallel with the strategic choice of measures study, work started on an implementation study and more detailed planning. Gothenburg Urban Transport Administration recommends the option of a cable car link between Järntorget and Wieselgrensplatsen. It is expected to meet the objectives set out in Chapter 3.4. The working title of the cable car project is the Purple line. The objective is to create a cross-river link, which in an innovative and resource-efficient way makes possible the development of a more compact and close-knit city by The analysis leading to this recommendation followed the Swedish Transport Administration's four-stage principle. A total of fifteen conclusions are highlighted in the report. This is so readers are able to follow the development of the process, and are able to reflect on its conclusions. Twelve points of policy are described in Chapter 5.3, their objective being to enable the construction of a cable car link over the river by

5 CONCLUSIONS 1: There is an overriding need to respond to wishes and expectations for Gothenburg s Jubilee by having a cable car link in operation across the river by : There is an overriding need to respond to the wishes and expectations expressed in the Environment Programme to reduce Gothenburg's carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions, particulate pollution and noise levels. In addition, any option should connect areas of the city and constitute a new cross-river link. Any alternative should be at least as good as a cable car link. 3: There is an overriding need to link the city on both sides of the river, create more cross-city links, strengthen key areas and contribute to a change in travel patterns while supporting sustainable, economical passenger transport. Work will also be carried out to re-inforce Gothenburg's vision of itself as a sustainable city which is open to the world. 4: There was a prior wish and desire for a cable car system. However Gothenburg Urban Transport Administration works on the basis of the four-stage analysis and measures all transport options against set goals. This analysis found that the cable car option performed as good as or better than other public transport or infrastructure options. 5: Based on the premise that a cross-city cable car link should run frequently and act as a travel hub, future measures should focus on different versions of a circulatory, mono or tri-cable system, using detachable grips. 6: Based on the premise that a cross-city cable car link should run frequently, have high levels of capacity and reliability even in adverse weather, and should make frequent stops at stations, we should focus our choices on a circulatory tri-cable system using detachable grips, despite its higher construction cost, requirements for more land and its somewhat longer construction time. 7: Urban cable car systems are best suited to short distances, over barriers which only with great difficulty can be crossed by other forms of transport. 8: Cable car traffic should be seen as a complement to existing public transport, due partly to its height, which means that some people will not choose it. A cable car system should thus be selected primarily for its ability to cross barriers which are difficult for other traffic. 9: As detailed planning is already under way for a cable car station at Järntorget, and the Purple line would connect several expansive and up-and-coming areas on the north bank of the river where improved travel links have long been required, the Purple line should be the first urban cable car route to be constructed in Gothenburg. 10: Compared to other sites, the location of the station at Järntorget will require fewer changes to existing buildings and historical surroundings, while it provides a connection to other core public transport services. The year 2021 has high priority, and as the area around Haga station will not be complete until several years after this, it would be impossible to have the cable car line in operation for Gothenburg's 400-year Jubilee if this option were chosen. 11: As a destination and a travel hub, Wieselgrensplatsen is better than both Eketrägatan and Gropegårdsgatan, even if it may be more difficult from the perspective of local residents, so Wieselgrensplatsen should continue to be the preferred alternative. 12: A station at Ramberget and a turning station were rejected. The main option should be for an intermediate station at Lundby, by the roundabout where Gropegårdsgatan and Inlandsgatan meet. 13: As there are a number of uncertainties on the question of the location of Lindholmen station, none of the alternatives should be rejected or advocated in this strategic choice of measures study. 14: The cable car link should be built with four stations in order to achieve the goal of a close-knit city and to relieve pressure on existing forms of public transport. 15: Implementation should be carried out in a single construction project in order to avoid higher costs, delays and disturbances to cable car traffic, and so as not to jeopardise the benefits resulting from the operation of the whole line. 5

6 POINTS OF POLICY The Urban Transport Administration advocates continuing with the implementation study and related planning, the aim being to build the first cable car system in Gothenburg, which: a. is designed to act as a cross-city link that in an innovative and economical way enables the development of a more compact and close-knit city. b. connects Järntorget, Lindholmen, Lundby and Wieselgrensplatsen, acting as a fully-integrated element in the core public transport system. c. is built as an integrated whole, and is working in its entirety by the year 2021, preferably before. It is proposed that work be carried out in collaboration with Västtrafik public transport, Gothenburg City Planning Office, Gothenburg Public Buildings and Property, Älvstranden Utveckling AB, relevant city district administrations, the Västra Götaland region and Greater Gothenburg emergency services; we also suggest that the project will continue in its open approach to the public. The urban cable car link forms part of Jubilee celebrations in 2021, which mark the founding of Gothenburg 400 years ago. d. costs a maximum 1.1 billion SEK (2015 prices) to plan, build and put into operation. e. gives passengers who have paid for their tickets via Västtrafik's ordinary ticketing system the right to travel without additional cost. f. can carry large numbers of travellers - at least 2,000 passengers per direction per hour. g. offers very high frequency, with at least one cable car per minute. h. has a speed of between 18 and 25 km/h. i. is so stable in high cross winds, including moderate gale force or stronger, that it does not need to be closed. j. does not obstruct current shipping lanes. k. fulfils requirements for high levels of accessibility. For example, cable cars shall stop completely at regular intervals at stations to allow passengers to get on and off. l. allows cyclists to use the system. 6

7 Contents Introduction. Summary. 1. THE INITIAL STAGES 1.1 Background 1.2 The work process and organization 1.3 Previous studies and decisions 1.4 Urban cable cars around the world 1.5 Supplementary planning 2. LIMITATIONS AND PARAMETERS 2.1 Limitations to content and scope 2.2 Geographical parameters 2.3 Time line for implementing measures 2.4 Cost framework 3. UNDERSTANDING THE SITUATION Requirements, deficiencies, problems and stakeholders 3.2 The present situation and future developments. 3.3 Previously identified functions of the transport system 3.4 Goals for strategic choice of measures 4. ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVE MEASURES. 4.1 Possible measures following the four-stage principle 4.2 Cable car options as part of the strategic choice of measures 5. POLICY PROPOSALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 5.1 Description of the overall focus 5.2 Detailed description of the recommended measure 5.3 Points of policy 6. REFERENCE MATERIAL 7

8 1. THE INITIAL STAGES This section describes how and why a study was started into the construction of a cable car link over the river by It also describes how work has proceeded, as well as other studies and plans which have formed part of the investigations. 1.1 Background The Transport Committee of the City of Gothenburg started investigations into the question of a cable car link over the river as part of the public transport system in If cable cars are chosen to form part of Gothenburg's public transport system, this would be the first new type of public transportation in Sweden since the introduction of the underground train system in Stockholm in the 1930s. In October 2009 Gothenburg & Co AB were commissioned by the Municipal Executive Committee to draw up a proposal, along with a schedule and budget, for projects to mark the city's 400th anniversary in This was done in collaboration with the City of Gothenburg's authorities and companies. Gothenburg & Co carried out the investigation in an open dialogue with local authorities, local companies, a large number of experts in a wide variety of fields and the general public. The result was summarised in Opportunities leading up to Gothenburg's 400-year Jubilee. Proposed plan of work. One suggestion from Gothenburg residents was a cable car link. During Gothenburg's 300-year Jubilee a cable car ran between Liseberg Amusement Park and newly-built attractions, to mark the celebrations. Over the years there have been various proposals about a cable car line between different places, to reduce the impact of physical barriers and create a more close-knit city. During the autumn of 2013 Gothenburg Urban Transport Administration carried out a pre-study to look at cable cars as an alternative form of public transport in the city, both as an addition to Gothenburg's 400-year Jubilee celebrations and to its Environment Programme. The pre-study concluded that, "We consider that the overall benefits of a cable car system are so significant that a line in the right place should be able to provide major advantages for many commuters at a relatively small cost. We therefore recommend a decision to continue more detailed investigations into cable cars in Gothenburg." In the plans for the Jubilee, it states that a cable car link over the river is one of the projects which is, "ready for the next step." In January 2014 the Jubilee Committee decided to allocate more resources to the Transport Committee so they could proceed with their in-depth investigation into cable cars. The Urban Transport Administration understands that the proposal to introduce a cable car line over the river in Gothenburg has been well received and that there is the political will to investigate whether it would be possible to realize such a proposal by 2021, the Jubilee year. Apart from considerations about the Jubilee, cable cars across the river would offer new transport links, which is well in line with the City's objective to build a more close-knit city on both banks of the river, and allow better access to the water. A cable car line also offers an innovative transport solution that would attract new passengers and increase the efficiency of the existing transport system. During 2014 and 2015 the Urban Transport Administration, with Västra Götaland region and Västtrafik, continued to work with the issue. Research indicated that the introduction of cable 8

9 cars would have very positive consequences for public transport and in many cases result in major reductions in travel time. At the same time, when the expected benefits were taken into consideration investment and operating costs did not act as a deterrent. In the summer of 2015 the project, "Establishing cable cars in Gothenburg, was created in order to intensify efforts to get a cable car link working by 2021, and to prepare for further cable car lines in Gothenburg no later than The Urban Transport Administration considers that a cable car system can make a valuable contribution to the public transport system. The advantages of cable cars are that they provide environmentally-friendly and cost-effective solutions as to how to cross physical barriers like the river Göta, fjords, mountains, green areas, railways and motorways. For pedestrians and cyclists a cable car ride - like the shuttle ferry service - provides a period in a warm environment, which in cold weather may encourage people to walk or cycle further than they might otherwise do Purpose of this strategic choice of measures This strategic choice of measures aims to bring together and clarify the conclusions of earlier studies into cable cars in Gothenburg, ahead of upcoming political decision as to whether to establish them in the city. The aim is to present and justify the kind of cable car system which should be introduced, in order to fulfil the goals of the municipality and the region. The aim is also to compare cable cars with other transport solutions, to see whether they are able to create equivalent value to cable car systems. 1.2 Work process and organization The work of gathering material for this strategic choice of measures has been under way since summer 2014, when the pre-study mentioned above was submitted for consultation. After this, work included participation in a local plan for Järnvågsgatan, where cable cars played an integral role in the assignment that Gothenburg City Planning Office was running at the same time, with a number of architecture companies. A location study was also started to investigate the potential of different cable car routes, with the help of various traffic analyses. It examined benefits to passengers in improved travel times and ease of movement within the public transport system. Studies regarding business and legal aspects and the impact of cable cars on street access were carried out in parallel and in January 2015 the Urban Transport Administration signed a framework agreement for consultant services working with the technological aspects of cable car systems. In 2014 work also started on producing illustrations of the cable car system to create greater understanding of its impact on the appearance of the city, and in 2015 two films and a number of images were produced. During 2015 work continued and intensified on all fronts, and we gained further knowledge of different technological systems and solutions. The Urban Transport Administration has been responsible for work on a cable car system, and where necessary has discussed different questions with representatives from other authorities and companies in the city. In the autumn of 2014 the Urban Transport Administration invited representatives from Västra Götaland region's public transportation department to work with them on the cable car question. Shortly afterwards, representatives from Västtrafik were also invited. The Urban Transport Administration coordinates all investigative work but works closely with these two organisations, and in some instances investigations are jointly financed. The Transport Committee was informed of how the issue was progressing on a number of occasions, both verbally and in writing, and meetings were also held with the executive team of the Transport Committee where necessary. During the autumn of 2015 a major information campaign was initiated, involving a new website, information meetings with city officials, and more information for the Planning Committee. Early in 2016 information was also sent to the 9

10 Municipal Executive Committee and to Public Buildings and Property, with meetings being open to the public. This strategic choice of measures document was submitted for comments in spring 2016 and around 40 comments were received during the consultation period. 1.3 Previous studies and decisions In 2013 the Urban Transport Administration produced a pre-study: Cable cars as a public transport alternative (in Swedish). The pre-study stated that," We consider the sum of the benefits of a cable car system are so great that a well-placed line should result in major benefits for many regular passengers at a relatively low cost to the community. We therefore recommend that a decision is taken to continue an in-depth investigation into cable cars in Gothenburg." The Transport Committee has been informed of the pre-study, but no policy decision on cable cars in Gothenburg has yet been taken by the authority. The pre-study estimated the cost of a cable car over the river between Järntorget and Lindholmen at 300 million SEK, which is reflected in the Transport Committee's long-term investment plan. This resulted in an allocation of 30 million SEK from the City s budget for continued investigations and project planning from 2016 to 2018 (10% of the expected cost of investment at this time). In its long-term investment plans the Urban Transport Administration has reported an investment of 970 million SEK for a cable car link between Järntorget and Wieselgrensplatsen, with two intermediate stations. This cable car link is considerably longer than the alternative indicated in the pre-study. It also has four stations as opposed to two in the earlier proposal. 1.4 Urban cable cars around the world During the investigation we have come into contact with a number of different urban cable car systems. We have classified what we found into three categories: 1. Efficient solutions in inaccessible areas 2. Purpose-built for a specific event (and remaining afterwards) 3. Regular public transport or feeder traffic The first category includes cable cars that are beginning to feature in cities, providing an efficient solution in inaccessible areas, at a relatively low cost. The Bolivian capital La Paz is an example of this. It is now in the process of building up a whole system of cable cars which will connect the more prosperous city centre with poorer towns in the surrounding hills. Examples of the second category include London in the UK and in Coblenz in Germany. In London a cable car was built for the 2012 Olympic Games, connecting an underground railway station with one of the event sites on the other side of the river Thames. The cable car remains and today acts mainly as a tourist attraction. In Coblenz a cable car line was built to connect the centre of the city with the site of a flower exhibition held on a slope on the other side of the Rhine. The cable car was so popular that it was decided to retain it after the flower exhibition finished. It will soon require some renovation as it was built to be in operation for only a short period of time. Examples of the third category are becoming increasingly common. One of the most recent additions is in Ankara, where a cable car has been built as an integral part of the public transport system. On the map in Figure 1 circles show where urban cable car systems already exist, and squares show the locations of cities which are currently planning to introduce one. The map shows Gothenburg and Kiruna in Sweden, to which can be added Sollentuna, which is also planning for urban cable cars. 10

11 Figure 1: Urban cable cars in the world; existing systems marked with circles and planned systems marked with squares. The colours of the circles illustrate the different cabling techniques used. Screenshot from gondolaproject.com on 20 January Supplementary planning Cable cars as a form of public transport infrastructure (along with other extensions to the system) are described in the consultation document Vision for urban traffic in Gothenburg, Mölndal and Partille 2035 (Västra Götaland region, the City of Gothenburg, Mölndal and Partille Municipalities, 2016). In autumn 2015 in a public discussion forum, Next Stop 2035, a cable car line was also mentioned as a possible addition to the Gothenburg public transport system. In the consultation document outlining the vision, three cable car lines were mentioned. Cable cars also form part of negotiations between West Sweden and The National Negotiation on Housing and Infrastructure. The three lines are; Järntorget to Wieselgrensplatsen via Lindholmen and Lundby (the Purple line), Brunnsbo to Svingeln via Ringön and Gullbergsvass (the Brown line) and Backa to Kortedala via Bäckebol and Hjällbo (the Yellow line). Cable cars also form part of a number of ongoing detailed development plans (Järnvågsgatan, Karlavagnsplatsen) and general plans (Kortedala, Backaplan), in investigations into availability and parking for Gothenburg's southern archipelago (TPUSS), and in the Swedish Transport Administration's strategic choice of measures for Route 155 to Öckerö. The National Negotiation on Housing and Infrastructure is a state body negotiating with municipalities to facilitate the building of a new generation of infrastructure projects including railways and housing. It also contributes to developing a better job market and to sustainable transport. Negotiations started on 1 February The negotiators will present their final report to the government by the end of December

12 2. LIMITATIONS AND PARAMETERS This section gives a brief description of the limitations and parameters which have formed the basis of work so far. 2.1 Limitations to content and scope The choice of cable car line was not preceded by a traditional strategic choice of measures study, as the measure (cable cars) was a declared solution from the outset. In this way the four-stage principle of the Swedish Transport Administration was not followed, and a stagefour solution alone forms the main alternative in this strategic choice of measures study. However, our work has made regular comparisons with other forms of infrastructure and public transport, and investigations have been carried out to ensure that cable cars are a sustainable concept. This strategic choice of measures examines the likelihood of forms of transport other than cable cars fulfilling the set goals. This is in accordance with the four-stage principle, and ensures that a true and fair view of the strengths and weaknesses of cable car systems emerges. The four-stage principle is further described in Chapter 4.1. The initial idea for a cable car line over the river by 2021, made by the Jubilee committee, has gradually been reworked and broadened, to create a cross-city link as part of the city's public transport system. This is something we know cable cars are well-suited to. However, the aim is to create a cable car line that works for ordinary passengers and is not just a short-term wonder whose sole purpose is to help celebrate Gothenburg's Jubilee. Defining the purpose of cable cars in Gothenburg has been an important part of the work of this investigation. 2.2 Geographical parameters From a geographical perspective, the parameters of the study have been the boundaries of Gothenburg municipality, and it is in this area we have looked at suitable routes for cable cars. Connections to Öckerö and Partille have also been examined in traffic analyses, for Västra Götaland's public transportation department and for Västtrafik. Detailed analyses have been made of the three cable car lines, all of which are located in the municipality of Gothenburg. 2.3 Time line for implementing measures As the idea for cable cars came from proposals from the public as a way of celebrating Gothenburg's 400-year Jubilee, the goal is for the first cable car line to be up and running by 2021 at the latest. As work has progressed we have discovered major advantages to having a cable car link between Järntorget and Wieselgrensplatsen in operation when changes to tram routes are planned for Hisingen in summer 2020 or summer Not having a cable car line in place until after 2021 means it will have no connection with Jubilee celebrations and also that the opportunity to alleviate traffic problems during a critical construction phase will be missed. 2.4 Cost framework Initially a cost limit was not set for the implementation of the project, as this was to be one of the aspects of the investigation. However, work has focused on creating most benefit for regular passengers at the lowest cost to regional and municipal tax payers. 12

13 3. UNDERSTANDING THE SITUATION In this chapter we define and describe in more detail the objectives of cable car traffic in Gothenburg, from the perspective of the deficiencies and gaps they are meant to rectify, and the goals they should achieve. 3.1 Requirements, deficiencies, problems and stakeholders The idea of cable cars in Gothenburg is the result of a dialogue between Gothenburg&Co and city residents, to find out how they would like to celebrate the city's 400-year Jubilee in In the publication which resulted from the dialogue, 1,680 ideas for Gothenburg's 400-year Jubilee, more than 30 people said they would like to see some form of cable car operating in the city. Ideas ranged from reconstructing the previous Jubilee's cable car line, to connecting Lunden and Masthugget by a thrilling ride across the city, to making Gasklockan and Ramberget more accessible. Under the heading "Smart traffic" and as a part of the theme, "Building bridges," ideas for cable cars are summarised in the following terms in Gothenburg 2021: Opportunities leading up to Gothenburg's 400-year Jubilee - Proposed plan of work (Gothenburg&Co, 2012): A cable car takes us over the river, connecting Ramberget on Hisingen to the mainland. Another cable car connects the districts of Bergsjön and Angered. The cable cars are connected to the public transport system, are convenient and transform the journey into an experience. The Municipal Executive Committee decided that the 2012 plan of work would form the basis of continued work to mark the Jubilee. In Further planning for the Jubilee the Transport Committee was given the task of carrying out a pre-study into cable car traffic in Gothenburg. The vision for cable cars was revised: Revised vision 2021: A cable car takes us over the river, connecting Hisingen to the mainland. It is connected to the public transport system, is convenient, and turns the journey into an experience. After completion of the pre-study, it was decided that the cable car line described in Further planning for the Jubilee , should be a Jubilee project. It was suggested that work be continued in the form of an investigation, for which the Urban Transport Administration would be responsible. At this stage, the cable car line was described in the following terms: Cable Cars: The project is to link the city by means of a cable car across the river. The pre-study shows that cable cars have great potential, providing energy-efficient and cost-effective public transport links. There is a social dimension as the city will be connected in a new and stronger way, and the unique solution makes the journey itself into a great experience. In line with recommendations from the pre-study, 2014 will see the next stage in the investigation into cable cars across the river as part of the public transport system. The Urban Transport Administration continued to work on the question in 2014 and 2015, in collaboration with Västra Götaland region and Västtrafik. Studies showed that the introduction of cable cars would have a very positive impact on the public transport system, and in many 13

14 cases, would improve travel times. Taking into consideration all the expected benefits, investment and operating costs were not a deterrent. The Urban Transport Administration considered it possible to have a cable car in operation by 2021, so a fun idea from a number of residents proved to be also very practical. Cable cars have been shown to offer opportunities to create cross-city links and connections between districts, crossing such natural and man-made barriers as cliffs, rivers, motorways and railways, which have previously acted as obstacles. Now work is focused on establishing where cable car lines would be most useful for passengers and Gothenburg residents, while at the same time making the city more close-knit. As a consequence, focus has shifted from a simple cable car link which would be an event-related, one-off solution, and which would offer only a river crossing. Figures 2 to 5: Documents relating to Gothenburg's 400-year Jubilee and affecting cable car lines. CONCLUSION 1: There is an overriding need to respond to wishes and expectations for Gothenburg's Jubilee by having a cable car link in operation across the river by Based on the information above, this strategic choice of measures study aims to show and explain the sort of cable car system the Urban Traffic Administration wishes to see. It also aims to compare other ways of creating benefits equivalent to those created by cable cars. As a consequence of the increasingly clear advantages of cable cars, the Transport Committee was given responsibility for examining the preconditions for constructing a cable car as part of the City of Gothenburg's 2013 Environment Programme (Action 66). The reason was as follows: Further large public investment in addition to the West Sweden Transport Package will be necessary if the city's environment and availability targets are to be reached. Cable cars can take us over the river and connect Hisingen to the mainland, but also link districts in north-east Gothenburg, such as Gullbergsvass and Stampen. The introduction of cable cars is expected to contribute to the fulfilment of a number of local environmental quality objectives including reduced emissions of carbon dioxide, lower levels of particulates, lower concentrations of nitrogen dioxide and less noise. The Environment Programme states that, "If it emerges that there is a better alternative to a 14

15 measure it is possible for the responsible authority or committee, in collaboration with the Environment and Climate Committee, to suggest and implement other measures instead." From this statement we consider that the Environment Programme is less committed to the cable car option than the Jubilee Programme is. CONCLUSION 2: There is an overriding need to respond to the wishes and expectations expressed in the Environment Programme to reduce Gothenburg's carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions, particulate pollution and noise levels. In addition, any option should connect areas of the city and constitute a new cross-river link. Any alternative should be at least as good as a cable car link. The lack of cross-city transport links is a well-known problem and the General Plan for Gothenburg, adopted by the City Council in 2009, states that the traffic system needs to connect city districts. There also needs to be better cross-river links, as central parts of both banks of the river are developing rapidly. According to the General Plan, specified strategic transport hubs shall be developed, and be closer together, to reduce the need for travel by car. In 2014 the General Plan resulted in concrete strategies including Traffic strategy for a closeknit city, adopted by the Transport Committee in February 2014, and Strategy for expansion plans, which was approved by the Planning Committee at the same time. The strategy for expansion focuses on the suburbs, the cohesive urban area outside the city centre, where public transport links are good and many of the city's residents live and work. The challenges listed in the expansion plans are summarised as follows: The population of Gothenburg is increasing and we need to make life easier for more people. We need to plan for more jobs, manage new demands made by business and develop the suburbs, if we are to have a well-integrated, cohesive city. There are three different approaches to achieving a more compact city, with characteristics which simplify daily life: Take advantage of what is available Develop focus points Gather resources where they make a difference Traffic strategy is faced by a number of challenges - global, national, regional and local. The global challenge is above all to change transport systems so that they reduce their impact on the climate. The biggest local challenges up to 2035 are to make the change from a large small town to a big city, manage internal barriers, and ensure there is a good local environment and freedom of movement for all. Good traffic safety and managing the construction stages of a number of large projects are also challenges. In Vision for RiverCity Gothenburg, adopted by the City Council in October 2012, it was stated that RiverCity Gothenburg would be open to the world. It had to be inclusive, green and dynamic. It also had to be designed so that we could unite the city, get close to the water and strengthen the core of the region. The challenge is to implement this vision, of which a cable car line is one part. Cable cars are not mentioned specifically in the General Plan, expansion plans, traffic plans or Vision for RiverCity Gothenburg, perhaps because these documents were produced before a cable car system became a clearly defined concept. However, we can see that a cable car line has the capacity to respond to many of the challenges described in these documents. 15

16 Figures 6-9: Some City of Gothenburg policy documents referring to cable cars. CONCLUSION 3: There is an overriding need to link the city on both sides of the river, create more cross-city links, strengthen key areas and contribute to a change in travel patterns while supporting sustainable, economical passenger transport. Work will also be carried out to reinforce Gothenburg's vision of itself as a sustainable city which is open to the world. Examining whether the city has a lack of projects which attract attention and "put Gothenburg on the map," is not a question taken up in this study. However we can see that an urban cable car line which works well has the potential to do just that, and to create a number of other benefits that are usually not associated with traffic solutions. Stakeholders Stakeholders identified at an early stage include the City's various authorities and committees, administrations and companies, Västra Götaland region and Västtrafik. The Swedish Transport Agency and the Swedish Transport Administration are also important parties in future implementation, as well as the general public, other enterprises and future travellers. Cable cars as a form of public transport are new to Swedish cities, and it is necessary that work is carried out with great openness and sensitivity. As part of efforts to develop a project plan for establishing cable cars in Gothenburg a fuller list of stakeholders has been drawn up, which will be further developed in communication plans. 3.2 The present situation and future developments Gothenburg's public transport system is like a bicycle wheel with spokes and a hub. Many travellers must pass through the hub in order to get to other spokes. There are often barriers of various kinds between the spokes including mountains, green areas, rivers, motorways or railways, making it expensive to build cross-city connections. This means that the centre of the city contains the central transport hub, which must handle large numbers of passengers whose destination is not the centre itself and who should be able to take other routes. 16

17 Prioritized development areas Focus points Hub for expansion Extended city centre City centre including RiverCity Gothenburg Strategy for expansion Gothenburg 2035 Figure 10: Existing heavily-used public transport lines marked in blue, in relation to the City's strategy for expansion plans; also indicating prioritised areas for expansion. 3.3 Previously identified functions of the transport system Traffic strategy is based on the established political vision for Gothenburg, which is summarised in the General Plan from Sustainable development is a central value which permeates both the General Plan and traffic strategy. The three main goals for traffic strategy are derived from the General Plan's thirteen strategic issues for Gothenburg's development; An easily accessible regional centre: among other things this will strengthen travel opportunities to, from and between focus points in the city and important destinations; it will also increase access to local services, shops, meeting points and other everyday functions. This, along with more effective use of streets and roads, is regarded as an important strategy. Attractive urban environments and a rich city life: strategies focus on restructuring street space and creating more areas where people want to spend time, and on creating a more integrated street network without barriers. Nordic logistics centre: where strategies focus on accessibility and innovation in the logistics industry. 17

18 Traffic strategy effectiveness goals for Gothenburg municipality for the year 2035, and relating to the number and kinds of journeys, include making travel more sustainable. Developments would also make it possible to use the centre of the city for more than just transport purposes. Figure 11: Illustration showing travel goals Journeys 2011 Goals 2035 In parallel with work on the cable car line, other studies have focused on public transport from a systems perspective in Gothenburg, Mölndal and Partille. It is the municipalities concerned, together with Västra Götaland region, which have proposed the vision for urban transport's core network in During 2015 the three cable car lines considered to provide most benefits for the core transport network were incorporated into work on this vision: Backa Bäckebol Hjällbo Kortedala; Brunnsbo Ringön Gullbergsvass Svingeln; Järntorget Lindholmen Lundby Wieselgrensplatsen. These three lines are included in the vision, and so form part of the material the City of Gothenburg sent to the ongoing National Negotiation on Housing and Infrastructure. The vision document describes cable cars as a public transport solution in the following way (Pro Memoria, Basis for analysis, 2015): The cable cars that are planned in Gothenburg can become a part of the public transport system and provide effective solutions to crossing rivers, valleys or mountains, motorways and other types of barriers. They are separated from other forms of traffic, are reliable and have low operating costs compared with other types of public transport. Cable car lines have a capacity equivalent to tram traffic, provide a very high frequency service throughout the day, travel at 25 km/h, have space for up to 25 passengers and some bicycles. They have three cables to provide high levels of comfort and safety. Usually, they require significantly less time for planning and construction than other types of transport infrastructure. One of the most important objectives for public transport in Västra Götaland is that its market share should increase, and travel on public transport will have doubled between 2006 and This is stated in the region's Traffic Provision Programme (Regional Traffic Provision Programme for Västra Götaland, Regional Council 2012.) 18

19 3.4 Goals for strategic choice of measures As we have previously stated in the report, the analysis of the suitability of measures is not entirely open-ended as the basic mission of investigations is to test the option of a cable car link over the river Göta in Gothenburg. Nevertheless we need to discuss and analyse the possibility that there may be an alternative solution to cable cars. The analysis will also provide reasons for the choice of a particular type of cable car. We propose that the conclusions in the third chapter of the report be reworded, taking the form of a number of goals for the strategic choice of measures. The option which matches most requirements is the one most likely to be recommended. The desired characteristics of the chosen measure are, in no specific order: i. The measure should establish an effective cross-city link in Gothenburg public transport. ii. iii. The measure should be a new link over the river Göta. The measure should relieve public transport in the central river bank areas (Göta bridge/ Hisingen bridge), especially during the years 2020 to 2025 when there will be a lot of construction in these areas. iv. The measure should be able to be operational by 2021, coinciding with Gothenburg's 400-year anniversary. v. The measure should link city districts. vi. The measure should contribute to making public transport more attractive. vii. The measure should strengthen areas identified in the City's expansion strategy; "invest where it will make a difference." viii. ix. The measure should help to make travel between city focus points faster, in accordance with the 30-minute objective in current traffic strategy. The measure should contribute to more attractive urban environments. x. The measure should reduce Gothenburg's emission of carbon dioxide, particulates and nitrogen oxides. xi. The measure should ensure that Gothenburg has a better chance to achieve environmental goals with respect to acceptable noise levels. xii. The chosen measure should be a cable car. 19

20 4. ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVE MEASURES Various transport measures have different effects, and an individual measure s effectiveness can vary, depending for example on its location, alternative forms of transport, neighbouring buildings etc. These pre-conditions are analysed by planners, along with measures which can be put in place to achieve the desired objectives. To control the analysis process and procedures, the fourstage principle is usually used and this chapter describes the Urban Transport Administration's analysis, using this principle. The purpose of the analysis is to identify the transport measure that best meets the stated goals (the goals stated in Chapter 3.4). In this chapter we compare the value and benefits of cable cars with those offered by other forms of transport. In order to meet the Environment Programme's Action 66, the choice of any alternative measure should be at least as good as the cable car option. Cable cars are expected to meet all required goals, which are specified in the following three points. For a more detailed description of these specifications, see Chapter 4.2. i) Locations to be linked by cable cars are Wieselgrensplatsen, Lundby, Lindholmen and Järntorget. The cable car line is part of public transport and the journey between end stations is expected to take about 12 minutes, and the link to have a frequency of 80 departures per hour in each direction. This new form of travel is expected to attract between five and ten thousand passengers from other public transport lines. However this figure does not include new regular travellers who are attracted by the cable car, or tourists who want to see the city from above. Cable cars stop regularly for passengers to get on and off at every station, and we see that the accessibility standard for people with disabilities is expected to achieve a green classification (the highest) while cyclists have the opportunity to take their cycles into the cable cars. The cable car is expected to cost between 40 and 50 million SEK per year to keep running (operations, maintenance, customer services and investment). The capital cost of the investment is expected to be approximately 50 million SEK per year. ii) iii) The cable car connects the Järntorget hub with current and planned heavily-used public transport routes at Lindholmen and at Wieselgrensplatsen. Furthermore the station in Lundby provides an addition to public transport in an area which is otherwise not well served. Connections do not only affect the public transport system but are also expected to have an impact on city life and willingness to invest. They will also spread the advantages of high-density inner city living, and in this way strengthen Wieselgrensplatsen, a prioritised area for expansion. Work under way on a vision for public transport in Gothenburg, Mölndal and Partille, also includes cable cars. Land is required for two end stations, 25 metres wide and 40 metres long, two intermediate stations that are 25 metres wide and 80 metres long, and seven to nine towers whose foundations in the planning stage are 25 x 25 metres. The cable car line will have a visual impact and as some of the towers may be over 90 metres high, the line will be visible from a distance. 20

21 Purple cable car line Investment cost : approx. 1.0 billion SEK Operations etc: approx mill SEK /year Staff needs: full-time positions Capacity: passengers/hr/ per direction Number of stations: 4 Length of cable car: 2900 m Travel time end stations: 12 min Prelim opening : 2020 Q2 Figure 12: The investigation's recommendation for a stage-four solution to meet the objectives stated in Chapter Possible measures following the four-stage principle The zero option no action The zero option is that no action is taken as a result of this study. This means that fulfilling the goal of a cable car line in operation over the river by Jubilee year 2021 would be impossible, as would the implementation of Action 66 in the Environment Programme. The lack of cross-city links and cross-river connections would remain, which could be regarded positively if this leaves the way clear to the implementation of other transport connections when need increases in the future. The investigation shows that it would be difficult to build additional permanent cross-city links before 2021, or in the years immediately following Stage 1 - Re-consider According to the four-stage principle, the measures to be analysed first are stage-one measures. They affect the journey before it starts, as they affect the total demand for transport and travel in the area studied, as well as the choice of type of transport. It is often very difficult to fully achieve all goals by applying only measures in this category. However, at a time of climate agreements and urbanisation it is rare to find combinations of measures which do not contain some stage-one measures, which address objectives relating to climate issues and making more compact cities, as well as similar challenges. Taxes, and transport and transport production charges, are typical stage-one measures, as are information campaigns, investments in distance working and the like. The City's overall approach to urban planning indicates that walking and cycling are the primary modes of transport to be encouraged, followed by public transport. Among major forms of personal transport, car journeys should have lowest priority in the more densely-populated areas of Gothenburg. Currently public transport is already crowded in central areas and the Urban Transport Administration is investigating measures in areas where the City wishes to grow, building a more close-knit and resource-efficient urban area. It is difficult for public transport to expand across the river within the existing infrastructure framework and a transfer to existing public transport, without additional measures, risks overburdening the system. 21

22 Stage-one measures which we consider would contribute to the fulfilment of some of the goals include increasing the price of tickets on public transport, which would reduce the pressure in the central river bank areas, but go against many other of the City's set goals. Another measure is higher prices for car parking, which could contribute to the reduction of emissions, enable the construction of more compact key urban areas, contribute to more attractive city environments and make for slightly better access for public transport, so making it easier to achieve the 30- minute goal. However, this might mean that city districts were not so tightly-connected. Active urban planning may even out the range of services, workplaces and housing on both sides of the river, which may result in less pressure on the central river bank areas and the need for further links over the river. However, it can also lead to the opposite result, where the city centre grows on both sides of the river, interaction increases and there is an increased demand for transport across the river. Offering only stage-one measures will mean that Jubilee-related goals are not attained, and that other measures will be required in order to create cross-river links. Additional capacity is desirable in central parts of the city in order to create conditions favourable to change. Not creating cross-city links means that integration between city districts will not improve, and the vulnerabilities in sections of public transport will remain. The proposed cable car line can be combined successfully with stage-one measures. One example is information services. As urban cable cars have not been used previously in Sweden and may be regarded as new and unfamiliar by passengers we consider it very important that travellers and other stakeholders are informed about their key features, and that measures are taken to ensure that passengers feel safe before, during and after their journeys. IT solutions will be required when cable car traffic is added to Västtrafik s travel planner and when cable car tickets are integrated into its normal price and fares model Stage 2 - Optimize If stage-one measures are not appropriate or do not adequately fulfil goals, the next thing to do is to look for stage-two measures, which can replace or supplement stage-one measures. Stage-two measures are introduced to ensure a more efficient use of the existing infrastructure. Below follow descriptions of hypothetical bus and tram lines, which make use of current infrastructure in a different, and more efficient, way. Bus line between Järntorget- Lindholmen-Lundby-Wieselgrensplatsen Västtrafik has drawn up a proposal for a hypothetical bus line between Järntorget and Wieselgrensplatsen with only two intermediate stops, in Lundby and Lindholmen. With the current infrastructure, the bus ride is estimated to take 20 to 21 minutes between the ends of the line, and a turn/return journey would be 45 minutes. Such a bus line is hypothetical only, as in practice Västtrafik would not replace a cable car line with a bus line on this stretch, but journeys would be spread between several different lines. Costs for the cable car line are calculated, with some additions, in line with the demand for cable cars revealed in VISUM, a traffic analysis and forecasting system. Västtrafik has worked on the assumption that the bus line would be able to supply 11,000 trips per day. This corresponds to the estimated number of trips a cable car line would provide. This level of journeys can be produced by a line using a bogie bus, and running at six-minute intervals. Seven buses would be in circulation at a cost of approximately 10 million SEK per year at 2015 prices. Bogie buses are not equipped to take bicycles. This bogie bus alternative means that travel time between stops in certain situations would be double that of a cable car line, and services would run only one-eighth as frequently as cable cars. This is expected to reduce the attractiveness of the bogie bus option and reduce its functionality as a cross-city link in the public transport system. 22

23 Based on Västtrafik's figures we have calculated two more hypothetical bus lines. They cover the same stretch and have the same driving times: in one, buses run every 45 seconds and in the other the number of places for passengers per day is the same as that offered by a cable car line (approximately 75,000 to 80,000 passenger places per day). Realistically, neither of these options could be implemented without further measures in the form of increased capacity at bus stops, priority bus lanes and possibly additional bus terminals. A bus line running a service at 45-second intervals is expected to cost between 80 and 100 million SEK per year and a bus line with the same passenger capacity as a cable car line, approximately 40 to 50 million SEK per year. However, neither of these lines would provide the same journey time between stops as a cable car. In order to achieve comparable journey times a new Lindholmen link and priority bus lanes on the other stretches would be required, which would involve infrastructure investments amounting to billions of kronor. The cross-river link, as part of the longer Lindholmen link, has not been costed separately in the material sent to the National Negotiation on Housing and Infrastructure. An extension of the Lindholmen link to Linnéplatsen is estimated to cost 3.7 billion SEK. A rough estimate from the cable car project is that crossing of the river would require one to two billion SEK of the total sum, and the rest for finalizing a tunnel between the river bank and Linnéplatsen. It would hardly be worthwhile to build a cross-river connection only for this line. We assume here that this bus line would bear approximately ten per cent of the capital cost - the rest to be borne by other lines which would also use the cross-river link. The capital cost of this bus line would be between approximately 5 and 10 million SEK per year. The Lindholmen link is a stage-four solution and is further described in Chapter A hypothetical bus line running at 45-second intervals and which has comparable travel time through its use of the Lindholmen link, has roughly the same annual cost as the proposed cable car line - between approximately 85 and 110 million SEK per year. However, the cost of a cable car line is roughly equally divided between operating costs and capital cost, whereas the cost of the bus line is mainly operating costs. Without infrastructure changes, it is considered that the hypothetical bus lines could be implemented by 2021, but not with travel times which are comparable with cable cars. This would require a new cross-river connection, which probably could not be in place within the next ten years. This measure does not meet the objective of having a cable car line crossing the river by 2021 and does not knit the city together more closely than at present. However, if the buses in question are wholly electric-powered, this can be seen as a reasonable response to Action 66 of the Environment Programme. Tram line between Järntorget and Wieselgrensplatsen Today, tram line 6 runs between Järntorget and Wieselgrensplatsen, has eight intermediate stops, and takes 16 minutes. The line could be re-routed via Stenpiren thus reducing travel time by two to three minutes and calling at six intermediate stops. It is possible for trams to turn at Wieselgrensplatsen but not at Järntorget. There is no cost estimate for this option. It is considered possible to implement this measure by Currently there are no tram lines at Lindholmen or south of Wieselgrensplatsen, and extending this infrastructure is not a stagetwo solution. If trams run every six minutes, the travel time between end stations for cable car and tram lines is estimated to be about the same, as is the available number of places for passengers per day. However, periods of heavy traffic in the city centre can cause delays to trams, although not to cable cars. Trams are not equipped to carry bicycles. 23

24 These tram routes exist today. What we can see in our traffic analyses is that a cable car line would attract passengers from existing forms of public transport. The cable car line would successfully fulfil its function of providing a cross-city connection when it links more heavilyused transport stretches. It would also help to integrate Lindholmen and Lundby better with other parts of Hisingen, and with Linnéstaden to the south of the river This measure does not meet the objective of having a cable car crossing the river by Jubilee year 2021, and does not improve links between city districts Stage 3 - Re-build If the stage-one and stage-two measures are not suitable, or do not adequately fulfil goals, the next stage in the analysis is to look for stage-three measures that replace or supplement stageone and two measures. Stage-three measures mean limited changes to, and re-building of, the existing traffic system. Here we analyze a possible stage-three measure which is thought to fulfil some of the same goals as cable cars - extended ferry services. Extended ferry services and ferry stops Until recently, two ferry lines ran between Rosenlund (near Järntorget) and Lindholmen. A possible stage-three measure is to restore these lines but with a higher frequency of service, in order to be able to provide similar benefits to those offered by cable cars. Each ferry shuttle takes approximately 300 passengers and two ferries can provide approximately eight departures per hour, in each direction. This produces a slightly higher total of passenger places per day than that offered by cable cars - approximately 90,000 places per day. The travel time is comparable with, or a little longer than, the cable car link if the times walking from the stop at Järntorget and to the stop at Lindholmen are included. In 2014, the ferry shuttle cost Västtrafik just over 20 million SEK per year in operating costs. It provided its top-frequency service only 12 hours per day as opposed to the cable cars' 19 hours per day. The previous service between Rosenlund and Lindholmen was comparable in terms of travel times, and it had good passenger capacity, but frequency of service was only one-tenth that of the cable car line. To achieve the same frequency, considerable enlargement of the ferry stops would be required and a considerable increase in passenger numbers. Such a measure would benefit cyclists and people suffering from a fear of heights. The links with public transport would remain unchanged, including the link between Lindholmen and Wieselgrensplatsen. We have not considered investment costs for this measure. It would probably be possible to restore the same ferry shuttle service by 2021, although it is possible that the ferry stop at Rosenlund would need to be moved to a new place to make way for planned urban development at Skeppsbron. Ferries are thought to have only a limited role in integrated public transport, but are good for cyclists. However, they only partially fulfil the need for new cross-city links. This measure does not meet the objective of having a cable car crossing the river by Jubilee year 2021, and does not improve links between city districts. Operating ferry shuttles is highly energy-intensive, considerably more so than cable cars. For this reason it is difficult to see how increased ferry traffic would meet Action 66 of the Environment Programme, even with a shift to sustainable energy in the medium term. In the long term it is thought there is a good possibility that the ferries will be powered by electricity. 24

25 4.1.5 Stage 4 - Build from scratch If the stage-one, two and three measures are not suitable, or do not adequately fulfil goals, the next stage in the analysis is to look for stage-four measures that replace or supplement the other measures. Stage-four measures involve major alterations or extensions to existing structures or investments in new infrastructure. We analyze here two, stage-four measures which may be considered as fulfilling some of the same goals as the cable car solution. These two are a tram and bus connection between Stigbergstorget and Lindholmen (the Lindholmen link), and a pedestrian and cycle way planned during the last century, to run between Packhuskajen and Lundbykajen. Pedestrian and cycle bridge The Lindholmen link Cable car Figure 13: Illustration showing the distribution of possible stage-four measures. The Lindholm link between Stigberget och Lindholmen, including a tunnel to Linnéplatsen The Lindholmen link has been under discussion since the 1950s and the City's General Plan from 2009 describes it as a public transport link in the form of a tunnel between Lindholmen and Linnéplatsen, where construction can take place in stages, each of which can operate independently of each other. The Lindholmen link features in the K2020 project and in continuing work on a vision for core public transport in Gothenburg, Mölndal and Partille. The recommendation in the General Plan is for a tunnel, while the vision describes the connection as a public transport link over or under the river. The solution for pedestrians and cyclists will be determined by the choice of either tunnel or bridge. For the purposes of comparison we assume that the Lindholmen link will work well for trams and buses, and for pedestrians and cyclists. 25

26 This measure links the passenger hub at Linnéplatsen with those at Stigbergstorget and Lindholmen. The Lindholm link will affect the whole transport system and reduce vulnerability in tram traffic. Currently there is only one tram connection across the river, an important consideration when it comes to any possible future extension to tram traffic on Hisingen. It is estimated that the Lindholmen link could be in service by 2028 at the earliest. The Lindholmen link, in the form of a tram and bus connection between Lindholmen, Stigberget and Linnéplatsen, is estimated to cost 3.7 billion SEK in 2015 prices. This alternative does not meet the goal for the Jubilee year of a cable car line crossing the river by The measure is not expected to be operational before 2028 at the earliest, which means a long wait for a new cross-city link, for which there is an immediate need. The measure is expected to be positive for pedestrians and cyclists, and above all for users of public transport. It provides a public transport cross-city link and connects both side of the river, but it does not help achieve the goal of a close-knit city when it does not cover prioritised city areas for expansion, or create new locations for transport stops. To achieve these goals a further extension, for example to Lundby/Wieselgrensplatsen, would be required. Pedestrian and cycle way over the river Göta A pedestrian and cycle way across the river Göta between Packhuskajen and Lundbykajen is proposed in the City's General Plan, The aim is to link Hisingen and the city centre and to reduce the barrier effect of the river. The bridge is regarded as part of the core cycle network. In early 2000 s the City of Gothenburg made extensive plans for the building of a type of low, opening, bridge in this location, but was not granted permission as it was judged to be in conflict with national shipping interests. In 2015 prices, it is estimated that such a bridge would cost approximately 300 million SEK to construct, excluding costs for the establishment of new connections between Lindholmen and Lundby. The annual operating and maintenance costs of bridges and tunnels are usually assessed at a flat rate of one to two per cent of the cost of investment. It is highly uncertain when such a bridge could be built and indeed whether it would be possible to obtain permission to build it. The last time the question was raised was in 2010 and at that time permission to construct a pedestrian and cycle way (a low bridge) in the proposed location was rejected. This alternative does not meet the goal for the Jubilee year, of a cable car line crossing the river by It is unclear when this measure would be in operation so it is not certain that it would be in place by The bridge would be positive for pedestrians and cyclists but would not help create a cross-city link in the public transport system. To some extent it may relieve public transport in the central river bank area if more people chose to walk or cycle across the river. The bridge would help connect the city on the north and south banks of the river, but would not help connect areas out towards Lundby, or Wieselgrensplatsen, a prioritised area for expansion. The trip for cyclists and pedestrians from Wieselgrensplatsen to Järntorget is expected to take longer than the 12 minutes that cable car journeys would take. Calculations regarding the maximum number of pedestrians and cyclists that can cross the bridge during one day have not been made. However, figures should be good. 26

27 4.1.6 Summary Below is a diagram showing goals for stage-3 and 4 measures in accordance with parameters described in Chapter 3. Stage-one and two measures are not included in the summary as they fulfil goals for cross-city links and a more closely-connected city much less well than stage three and four measures. Measures Num ber 1 Goals (according to Chapter 3.4) The measure should establish an effective cross-city link in Gothenburg public transport Cable Car Lindholmen link Pedestrian and cycle way Increased ferry traffic 2 The measure should be a new link over the river Göta 3 The measure should relieve public transport in the central river bank areas, especially between 2020 and The measure should be able to be operational by 2021, coinciding with Gothenburg's 400-year anniversary 5 The measure should link city districts 6 The measure should contribute to making public transport more attractive. 7 The measure should strengthen areas identified in the City's expansion strategy; "invest where it will make a difference." 8 The measure should help to make travel between city focus points faster, in accordance with the 30- minute objective in current traffic strategy. 9 The measure should contribute to more attractive city environments 10 The measure should reduce Gothenburg's emission of carbon dioxide, particulates and nitrogen oxides. 11 The measure should ensure that Gothenburg has a better chance to achieve environmental goals with respect to acceptable noise levels. 12 The chosen measure should be a cable car line. Figure 14 a: How well the measures fulfil goals. Green = to a large extent, Orange = to a certain extent, Red = not at all 27

28 Measures Num ber Other goals from the City's traffic strategy Cable Car Lindholmen link Pedestrian and cycle way Increased ferry traffic 1 The measure is good for pedestrians. 2 The measure is good for cyclists. 3 The measure is good for users of public transport. 4 The measure is innovative. 5 The measure requires a comparatively little amount of land. Figure 14 b: How well the measures fulfil goals. Green = to a large extent Orange = to a certain extent Red = not at all Assessment The construction and operation of a cable car line is, naturally enough, the only measure which fulfils the requirements for a cable car line across the river by Other measures can in different ways and to different degrees fulfil requirements to create a more close-knit city and promote more sustainable ways of transporting passengers. Other solutions may also have innovative aspects, but a cable car line has the advantage that it provides a very clear reminder of what we are working with compared to, for example, more/other/more efficient forms of transport. Its relatively efficient technology with its limited requirements for land, and its investment cost in relation to its capacity, give cable cars the advantage over other proposed measures. If cable cars are introduced as a part of public transport in Gothenburg, this would be the first introduction of a new form of transport since the underground railway system was built in Stockholm in the 1930s. All the cross-river connections presented as stage-four solutions above are helpful in preventing the river from acting as a barrier, and in making Gothenburg a more close-knit city. The same applies, to a greater or lesser extent, to the goal of increasing the percentage of public transport users. The City of Gothenburg uses five different levels for its social impact assessments: building, immediate environment, district, city and region. In this way different social aspects are examined in the planning stage. If social dimensions are given the same weight as passengers' perspectives, the proposed stage-four measures can be seen to affect people on many levels. For most people, a new pedestrian and cycle bridge across the river, linked to the new pedestrian and cycle bridge across Lundbyleden and Hamnbanan, would mean that both the immediate neighbourhood and city districts became more accessible. The target group is Level of analysis BUILDING LOCATION What is happening just outside your door? IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENT What is happening on the street/ block outside and in the neighbourhood? DISTRICT What is happening in the district around you? TOWN/CITY What is happening in the city? REGION What is happening in the region Figure 15: Levels of analysis used in the City's work with social impact assessments and child impact assessments. 28

29 residents, and people working near the routes. A cable car line across the river and continuing on to Wieselgrensplatsen is expected to connect different city districts and to affect mainly travellers at district level. The target group is seen as rather larger than that of pedestrians and cyclists, the reason being that more travellers are expected to use cable cars for part of their journeys. This means that the places they start and conclude their journeys may be further from the cable car stops. Above all, a Lindholmen link, with public transport, pedestrians and cyclists, is expected to affect the way public transport operates in the city and the region. This measure would affect the entire public transport system structure in Gothenburg, and thus affect a very large number of passengers. Traffic strategy determines how the Urban Transport Administration should plan for and prioritize road users in urban environments; first come pedestrians, then cyclists, then public transport users and finally motorists. This, together with the dimensions of cable cars, means that the capacity to transport cyclists with bicycles is limited. It is estimated that a maximum of two cycles will be allowed in each cable car, and with 80 cable cars per hour moving in both directions, this gives a capacity of between 300 and 400 cycles per hour, a figure which may need to be reduced in busy periods when there are many travellers. In this way, we can see that cable cars will not replace other cycle connections across the river. The very high frequency of cable cars means that passengers do not have to take into account timetables or waiting times, in many ways making this solution similar to a fixed transport link. In the selection of measures, the time perspective is also very relevant. Already today there is a demand for more, new links across the river, and it is possible to implement a cable car line by This gives this measure a comparative advantage in comparison with other stage-four measures, and the cable car should also be seen as a complement to other measures that link the city together. With respect to demand for travel capacity, the need for a cable car line will diminish when a Lindholmen link is in place. Nevertheless a cable car link can help us cope with the traffic situation until a more substantial solution is operational, and it will continue to meet the need for shorter journeys. Traffic analyses indicate that the northern part of the cable car route between Wieselgrenplatsen and Lindholmen constitutes an important cross-city link in itself, enabling effective connections between, for example, Wieselgrensplatsen and Linnéplatsen via a connection from a cable car to a bus or tram at Lindholmen. With respect to innovation and resource efficiency, cable cars are considered to fulfil most goals. Cable car lines are also associated with a number of side effects which traffic planners usually do not need to deal with, including identity-building, the "wow factor" and their place as tourist attractions. Such factors create a greater willingness on the part of the operators and property owners close to cable car stops, to invest further. Cable cars have a small footprint in comparison with other stage-4 solutions, and the cost of investment is relatively low in relation to their capacity. CONCLUSION 4: There was a prior wish and desire for a cable car system. However, Gothenburg Urban Transport Administration works on the basis of the four-stage principle and measures all transport options against set goals. This analysis found that the cable car option performed as good as or better than other public transport or infrastructure options. 30

30 However, there remain a number of choices in the process of establishing cable cars in Gothenburg, as outlined in the following section. 4.2 Cable car options as part of the strategic choice of measures The options (with associated conditions) which are shown are: Options for system requirements and desired features Options for route of cable car line in the city Options for location of stations Options for system requirements and desired features Cross-city links between major radial stretches (the "spokes") of the public transport system form short-cuts for those people whose destination is not central Gothenburg. This provides advantages in terms of shorter travel times and new direct lines, but also relieves pressure on central areas of public transport, for example the river Göta bridge/ bridge to Hisingen. If cross-city links use the same technology as radial connections, lines can act as short-cuts and many travellers experience benefits without having to change their form of transport. However, over the years it has been shown that it is often very expensive to create cross-city links using the same technology as used in radial routes, where cross-city links need the help of tunnels and bridges to pass barriers. For different reasons, cable cars are not used on radial sections of the core public transport system. However, they have the potential to bridge various forms of barriers more cheaply than existing forms of transport (buses, trains, trams and ferries). For this reason there is interest in using cable cars to create cross-city links in Gothenburg core public transport services. Since cable cars are not used in radial sections, the use of cable cars as cross-city links is based on the understanding that passengers will have to accept one or more transport changes. Public transport users usually dislike changes, many people preferring longer travel times to making a transfer. When cable cars are used as cross-city links in Gothenburg it is assumed for planning purposes that they will be very frequent, in order to reduce waiting times for transfer passengers. Cable car stations need to be very well-integrated with the rest of the public transport system when it comes to transfers. The first requirement of a cable car line acting as a cross-city link - high frequency - means that many types of cable cars on the market are at a disadvantage. So-called aerial trams 1 would be able to offer acceptable journey times and sufficient capacity but as they use only two cable cars to commute between two stations, frequency would be only four services per hour in each direction if a line were built between Wieselgrensplatsen and Järntorget. In addition, aerial trams do not have more than two stations. Another alternative, pulsed gondolas 2 do not offer adequate frequency, sufficient capacity or satisfactory journey times. The types of cable car systems which can offer both high service frequency and wellintegrated stations are mono and multiple-cable circulatory cable car lines with detachable grip 3. The bi-cable system appears to be on its way out and our investigations show that it does not have any major advantages when compared with the mono or tri-cable systems och 31

31 CONCLUSION 5: Based on the premise that a cross-city cable car link should run frequently and act as a well-integrated passenger hub, future measures should focus on different versions of a circulatory, mono or tri-cable system, using detachable grips. The mono-cable circulatory cable car system has four advantages over the tri-cable solution: i) cheaper to build (approximately half the investment cost) ii) more suppliers offer mono-cable systems, so competition may result in lower prices iii) slightly shorter construction times iv) rather more compact stations. Mono-cable stations require approximately 40 % of the surface area, or 25 % of the volume, of tri-cable stations. The tri-cable circulatory cable car system has three advantages over the mono-cable option: i) The tri-cable system is much more stable in high winds. Suppliers claim that they can be used in cross winds of up to 27 to 28 metres per second without major problems, while the mono-cable option usually closes at 16 to18 metres per second. According to information from the regional public transport company in South Tyrol, they have had to stop their tricable cable car six times during its (currently) six years of operation. The mono-cable cable car in London needs to be closed approximately 30 days per year because of high winds. ii) The tri-cable cable cars can carry much greater loads, and have larger door openings than the mono-cable type, making it possible to allow cyclists to take bikes on board. This applies also to prams, walking frames and wheelchairs, and possibly even motorised wheelchairs. iii) As larger cable cars enable high capacity levels without the need for extremely frequent services, it is possible for the cable cars to make complete stops inside stations on a regular basis. A mono-cable system with 12-person cabins needs a cable car to run once every 20 seconds if it is to offer the same number of passenger places as a 25-person, tri-cable cabin running every 45 seconds. With a service running at 20-second intervals, the Urban Transport Administration sees major difficulties in regularly stopping cable cars at stations. They would probably need to continue moving and would stop only for those who really needed it, but this is not compatible with high levels of accessibility for people with functional impairments. The investigation has drawn up plans for both mono and tri-cable cable car systems. A further disadvantage of the mono-cable system is that it would require several towers, and to avoid having to build a tower in the river, the resulting relatively long span would mean that the system would be less stable in high winds. CONCLUSION 6: Based on the premise that a cross-city cable car link should run frequently, have high levels of capacity and reliability even in adverse weather, and should make frequent stops at stations, we should focus our choices on a circulatory tri-cable system using detachable grips, despite its higher construction cost, requirements for more land and its somewhat longer construction time. 32

32 4.2.2 Options for a first route of cable car line in the city At the beginning of 2015, the Urban Transport Administration began a new location study together with the Västra Götaland region and Västtrafik. The aim was to use the traffic analysis model VISUM to study how different cable car lines would affect movement in remaining public transport in The reason why the year 2035 was chosen is that it would be reasonable to assume that several cable car lines could be built by this year, and also that the City's planning horizon for several other documents and issues is also Work started by gathering all the route proposals for different lines, for example those described in the 2013 pre-study and those proposed in the responses to the pre-study. Overall, more than 30 lines were proposed, a number of which were variants of the same line. These routes are illustrated in Figure 16. ROUTES Proposals received routes A summary was made of proposed cable car routes from the feasibility study, Cable cars as alternative public transport in Gothenburg, responses to this, and a number of additional routes from Swedish Transport Administration and Västra Götaland region. Figure 16: Summary of route proposals to be investigated and analysed, from Cable car location study, Gothenburg (The Urban Transport Administration, 2015). Together with staff from Västra Götaland region, an assessment was made of the possible advantages of the various stretches. After an initial assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of the respective lines, eight were selected for deeper analysis (see Figure 17). A few lines are longer and located outside the compact city centre, while some cross into neighbouring municipalities; others link together core city areas or connect heavily-used public transport routes. Certain lines combine these parameters. A general requirement for the selection was that the cable cars should not compete directly with existing bus or tram services. The selected lines, and results, are presented in Figure. 18. Cable car technology and system requirements were different at the beginning of the analysis to what they are now. This means that the result of the analysis works mainly as an internal comparison between the lines. 33

33 Figure 17: The remaining cable car routes tested in VISUM. Lines Route Passenger levels Max. passenger per 24hours levels per hour Blue Frölunda torg- Fiskebäck- Styrsö- Vrångö 1, Brown Brunnsbo- Ringön- Gullbergsvass- Svingeln 9,700 1,820 Green Brunnsbo- Gamlestan-Östra Hospital 6, Yellow Körkarlens Gata-Bäckebol-Hjällbo-Kortedala 5, Bright Purple Järntorget- Lindholmen-Wieselgrensplatsen 13,570 1,930 Purple Järntorget- Lindholmen-Eketrägatan 12,640 1,850 Purple Järntorget - Lindholmen - Ramberget - Wieselgrensplatsen 12,116 1,778 Purple Järntorget - Lindholmen only 6,430 1,099 Cyan Brunnsbo Gustavsplatsen Östra Hospital 9,740 1,190 Navy Amhult- Lilla Varholmen-Öckerö 4, Pink Angered- Begsjön- Birstall 3, Red Surte- Gårdsten- Angered 4, Turquoise Brunnsbo - Gamlestan 4, Figure 18: The transfer from existing public transport to cable cars in 2035, according to VISUM analysis, spring Cable car technology and system requirements were different at the beginning of the analysis to what they are now. This means that the result of the analysis works mainly as an internal comparison between lines. For further discussion on the proposed alternatives for the Purple line, see Chapter

34 These analyses show clearly that cable cars are most efficient and most competitive when they connect neighbouring areas which have not previously had strong transport links. On longer routes the speed of cable cars (the analysis showed 25 km/h) could not compete with trams and buses. From the point of view of investment costs there needs to be a substantial passenger base to be able to justify a cable car line, which makes it particularly suitable in areas where many people live and/or work. CONCLUSION 7: Urban cable cars are best suited to short distances, over barriers which only with great difficulty can be crossed by other forms of transport. CONCLUSION 8: Cable car traffic should be seen as a complement to existing public transport, due partly to its height, which means that some people will not choose it. A cable car system should thus be selected primarily for its ability to cross barriers which are difficult for other traffic. In parallel with the location study, work to develop a vision for urban transport in the year 2035 in Gothenburg, Mölndal and Partille was carried out. Cable cars formed part of the vision, and so cable cars could be tested against and compared with other forms of public transport. As cable car systems are expensive compared with setting up a new bus line (via existing roads) many of the proposed routes were judged as unsuitable. Three cable car lines (Yellow, Purple and Brown) were judged to offer such advantages to the public transport system that they were included in the proposed vision, as well as in the proposals which West Sweden sent in to the on-going National Negotiation on Housing and Infrastructure. Regional gateways/ city gateways/hub Measure: tram and bus lanes Prioritised tram and core bus routes Measure: in core bus network and express network Existing public transport Measure: cable car Figure 19: Extract from the consultation version of Vision for urban transport 2035 (Västra Götaland region, the City of Gothenburg, Mölndal and Partille municipalities 2016). Three cable car lines are shown with a solid green line. 35

35 These three cable car lines are not only selected on the basis of their effect on public transport, but also on the basis of how they respond to the overall needs of the city. They include measures to link the city on both banks of the river, create more cross-city links, strengthen prioritised areas for expansion, contribute to changed travel patterns, and to promote sustainable travel which uses space as efficiently as possible. This solution should also strengthen Gothenburg's vision of itself as a sustainable city which is open to the world. Figure 20 shows how the three cable car lines relate to the City's plans for urban expansion. Prioritized development areas Focus points Hub for expansion Extended city centre City centre including RiverCity Gothenburg Strategy for expansion Gothenburg 2035 Figure 20: Gothenburg s current most heavily-used public transport lines marked in blue, in relation to the City's strategy for urban expansion showing prioritised areas for expansion. Three cable car lines are shown as possible cross-city links connecting prioritised areas for expansion with the extended city centre, and they also connect several heavilyused public transport routes. Up to now, urban cable cars have not formed part of public transport in Sweden. On this basis, the Urban Transport Administration considers it advisable to test and evaluate one cable car line before a decision is taken to build more. It is not thought that the Brown line should be constructed before urban development at Gullbergsvass has started. This can be compared with the Purple and Yellow lines, where current situations are favourable. During 2014 there were a number of studies, apart from the cable car investigation. Parallel assignments to develop Järnvågen/Masthamnsgatan were initiated. In order to build a cable car station in this area, the idea of cable car line needed to be accepted. In 2015 the first detailed development plan became more concrete as did the location of the first cable car station for the Purple line at Järntorget. Planning is also under way for Lindholmen, and the Urban Transport Administration considers that it is desirable to connect this area with more areas on Hisingen. If cable cars are to be located in these areas, planning needs to intensify and attention should focus on the Purple line. The Yellow line should be constructed soon after the Purple line has been evaluated, provided that the cable cars have received a positive reaction from various parties. 36

36 CONCLUSION 9: As detailed planning is already under way for a cable car station at Järntorget, and the Purple line will connect several expansive and up-and-coming areas on the north bank of the river where improved travel links have long been required, the Purple line should be the first urban cable car route to be constructed in Gothenburg Options for locations of stations A route proposed at an early stage of the pre-study in autumn 2013 was Haga-Lindholmen- Ramberget-Wieselgrensplatsen. Since then, and on the basis of what we know about the capacity and limitations of cable car systems, we have decided to widen the search area for appropriate locations for stations, in order to review their relative benefits and to assure ourselves of the feasibility of their being operational by Wieselgrensplatsen cable car station Rambergets cable car station Lindholmen cable car station Haga cable car station Figure 21: Illustration of the then Blue line (now Purple line) from, Cable cars as alternative public transport in Gothenburg (the Urban Transport Administration, 2013). The purpose of this alternative report is to show why some options for stations between Järntorget and Wieselgrensplatsen are not considered to be appropriate, or worthy of further planning. Some aspects which the Urban Transport Administration must take in to consideration include; integration into the pedestrian network and other connections within the city; the urban environment; links to other public transport; general accessibility; travel flow; space creation; other/competing uses for land; wish that a cable car line crossing the river will be operational by Jubilee year 2021; the cable car line's impact on the cityscape and buildings, as well as technical and financial feasibility. 37

37 South end station The Urban Transport Administration together with Gothenburg City Planning Office, Västra Götaland region and Västtrafik, have evaluated six locations for the south end station of the Purple line between Haga/Järntorget and Wieselgrensplatsen. Conclusion 10: Compared with other positions, the location at Järntorget will require fewer changes to existing buildings and historic surroundings, while it provides a connection to other core public transport services. The year 2021 has high priority, and as the area around Haga station will not be complete until several years after this, it would be impossible to have the cable car line in operation in time for Gothenburg s 400-year Jubilee if this option were chosen. In evaluating public transport links we see Järntorget as being more local and Haga station as being more regional. Traffic analyses say that in future Järntorget will continue to be a more widely-used public transport hub than Haga station/ Hagakykan bus stop. 170 Figures 22 and 23: Comparing cable car stations adjacent to future Haga railway station (left) and cable car station adjacent to Järntorget passenger hub (right). The traffic analyses show only small differences, with a certain advantage going to the choice of a station adjacent to Järntorget. 38

38 Further section from Järntorget northwards Figure 24 shows the station locations on Hisingen which have been discussed in investigations. A total of seven locations have been examined and evaluated. This was done after the choice of location of the south end station was made, as the capacity to run simultaneous investigations was limited. Another reason was not to hinder the progress of the detailed development plan for Järnvågsgatan, which depended directly on the Urban Transport Administration s recommendation of the station location. Possible north end station Possible middle station Cable car routes resulting from station locations Turning station (not for embarking/disembarking) Figure 24: Possible locations of cable car stations on a cable car line between Järntorget and Wieselgrensplatsen, and illustration of the routes that would be created. Choice of north end station In the 2013 pre-study, Wieselgrensplatsen was presented as the end station for the Purple line. This solution remained, but as investigations proceeded a desire was expressed to test alternative end stations. Eketrägatan in particular was of interest to Västtrafik as Eketrägatan would offer different functionality to Wieselgrensplatsen, having both bus and tram stops. VISUM analyses carried out in the spring of 2015 showed that a station at Wieselgrensplatsen would have slightly better passenger transfer than Eketrägatan. When the City of Gothenburg in various plans, including the General Plan (2009), and Strategy for expansion plans (2014), specified Wieselgrensplatsen as both an important passenger hub and focus point, the Eketrägatan option was rejected in favour of Wieselgrensplatsen. Lines Route Passenger levels per 24 hours Purple Järntorget- Lindholmen- Wieselgrensplatsen 13,570 Purple Järntorget- Lindholmen- Eketrägatan 12,640 Figure 25: Results of traffic analyses where Wieselgrensgatan and Eketrägatan are compared in their capacities as end stations. The number of passengers per 24 hours is from an earlier study where a station at Lundby was not included. The model is very sensitive to changes in travel times, such as that caused by a stop at Lundby. 39

39 A station at Gropegårdsgatan was an alternative to the two stations mentioned above, mainly because Gropegårdsgatan is a relatively narrow street for a cable car to cross. However, the location is considered to have only limited value as a destination or a place for passenger transfer. The cost of building an end station is not likely to vary depending on location. CONCLUSION 11: As a destination and a passenger transfer hub, Wieselgrensplatsen is better than both Eketrägatan and Gropegårdsgatan, even if it may be more difficult from the perspective of local residents, so Wieselgrensplatsen should continue to be the Urban Transport Administration's preferred alternative. After the stations at Eketrägatan and Gropegårdsgatan were rejected, so were the six lines which terminated at these points. See the picture below. Possible north end station Possible middle station Cable car routes resulting from station locations Turning station (not for embarking/disembarking) Figure 26: Remaining locations and sections of line after analysing stations at Eketrägatan and Gropegårdsgatan. Lundby station, Ramberget station and turning station The 2013 pre-study showed only one stop between Lindholmen and Wieselgrensplatsen, on Ramberget. The pre-study states that: A connection to Ramberget provides increased accessibility to a recreation area while a connection to Wieselgrensplatsen provides access to the rest of Hisingen. This section is not in a straight line, but veers at an angle. In 2015, the Urban Transport Administration examined the question of a station at Ramberget more thoroughly, both in a VISUM traffic flow analysis and in a separate, open-ended, prestudy looking at how access to Ramberget could be improved. Both the VISUM analyses and the pre-study, Increased access to Ramberget (The Urban Transport Administration 2015) shows that building a tri-cable car station there would constitute a significant overcapacity 40

40 with regard to estimated passenger demand. It would also entail major changes to the park and it is not clear whether this would be in line with the intentions expressed in the letter of donation, which controls its maintenance and development. Ramberget is not expected to generate a major flow of passengers, and a station at Ramberget would therefore mean that the majority of cable car passengers would need to pass through a station with only a few users. This would reduce the attractiveness of a cable car line for everyday travellers by extending travel times, and probably lead to passenger reductions. This could be seen in the traffic analyses. A station at Ramberget is considered to be incompatible with Position B at Lindholmen, where the route would pass straight through the area of planned development at Karla Tower, with its high buildings. In the study, Increased access to Ramberget (The Urban Transport Administration 2016) a number of new transport solutions such as a funicular, a cable car and an elevator were tested. Of these, it was found that the cable car was a good alternative as it took passengers right up to the top of the mountain but could also bridge Lunbyleden and Hamnbanan without requiring large areas of ground. Figure 27: Illustration of a cable car station at Ramberget, from Increased access to Ramberget (The Urban Transport Administration, 2016). In the 2013 pre-study, a straight line was drawn from Ramberget to Wieselgrensplatsen over the buildings of Rambergsstaden. In the opinion of the Urban Transport Administration this is a problematic crossing as there is a high risk of significant disturbance to residents in the area. In order to avoid/ mitigate this problem, attempts were made to find a place along Inlandsgatan where the cable car could turn off on its way to Wieselgrensplatsen. One option was a turning station without passenger entry or exit, and another option was an intermediate station in Lundby. In principle, constructing a turning station means the same technology, impact on travel time and costs as a standard intermediate station where passengers can embark and disembark. In general, an intermediate station is reckoned to cost in the order of approximately 100 million SEK. In order to solve the problem of how cable cars get to Wieselgrensplatsen without having to cross built-up areas north of Ramberget, a station at Lundby is a more practical solution than a turning station at Lundby, and costs are similar. CONCLUSION 12: A station at Ramberget station and a turning station were rejected. The main option should be for an intermediate station at Lundby, by the roundabout where Gropegårdsgatan and Inlandsgatan meet. 41

41 Possible north end station Possible middle station Cable car routes resulting from station locations Wieselgren Station Lundby station Lindholmen station A Lindholmen station B Figure 28: Remaining locations and sections of line after analyses of Ramberget and Lundby stations and a turning station. Location of a cable car station at Lindholmen The location of the cable car line at Lindholmen has been considered in detail, in particular in order to respond to the needs expressed in the detailed development plans for Järnvågen and Masthuggskajen. In order to reserve land in the detailed development plan the Urban Transport Administration needs to present a section of cable car line with a station on the north bank of the river. Currently, five different locations are being investigated at Lindholmen, two near position A on the map and three near position B. Lindholmen is a difficult area to put a station, as much development is being planned in parallel and buildings in certain places are quite tightlypacked and relatively high. Usually it is easier to introduce new systems where residents have not yet moved in than to change conditions for existing residents. Position A is positioned so that the section to Järntorget runs almost parallel to Therese Svenssons gata and passes over only a few buildings and at high altitude. On Lindholmsallén there is space to build a station at a height of about one floor above ground level. Position B is located approximately 50 metres south-west of the entrance to Lindholmen Science Park. Position B is rather more complicated and means that the cable car station must be located upwards of 20 metres, perhaps even 30 metres, from ground level. The location of the tower on the southern bank of the river depends on where the station at Järntorget is located, as shown in Figure 29 below. Figure 29: Schematic illustration indicating the station at Järntorget with a yellow star. The yellow line on the left extends towards Position B and the yellow line on the right extends towards Position A. 42

42 Position A is well-placed for possible future connections to the express bus system and this position is proposed in the vision for core public transport in Gothenburg, Mölndal and Partille in Position B is well-placed for a possible future tram route between the two banks of the river. At present, both locations have the same connections to existing public transport. From the business perspective, Position A creates a new attractive location for offices while Position B position strengthens a currently popular area for expansion. Irrespective of the choice of Position A or B, a cable car line is expected to strengthen the attractiveness of the entire Lindholmen area. The dock at Götaverken has permission to continue its shipbuilding operations until 2021 and it is not yet clear how this will affect the cable car lines and the choice of locations for stations. Further investigation is needed to clarify whether a cable car line may be in conflict with shipbuilding activities and if so, how this can be managed. CONCLUSION 13: As there are a number of uncertainties on the question of the location of Lindholmen station, none of the alternatives should be rejected or advocated in this strategic choice of measures study. From Järntorget to Lindholmen or from Järntorget to Wieselgrensplatsen During 2013 and 2014 information was given to the effect that the Purple cable car line would run between Haga/ Järntorget and Lindholmen. This is barely half as extensive as the option now described by the Urban Transport Administration, which contains four stations and a north end station at Wieselgrensplatsen. The shorter stretch of line has a different profile from the longer option. The shorter stretch of line runs between two new areas of growth but does not bind them to existing areas that require strengthening. The proposed longer stretch strengthens Lundby and above all Wieselgrensplatsen, and together with the tram line will connect workplaces and educational institutions at Lindholmen with residential areas on central Hisingen, for example Biskopsgården. The full route of the Purple line reduces vulnerability in the public transport system around Hisingsbron (Hisingen bridge), the Central station and Brunnsparken, where it links up to four tram lines at the half-way point (two at Järntorget, a future line at Lindholmen and Hisingsbanan at Wieselgrensplatsen). A fully-developed line will relieve Hisingsbron far more than a simple link over the river between Järntorget and Lindholmen, and is also in line with the vision for core public transport in Gothenburg, Mölndal and Partille in With a station at Wieselgrensplatsen, in the future cable cars will be able to transport passengers who wish to travel further along the heavily-used public transport routes towards Lindholmen (see Figure 30). 43

43 Figure 30: Extract from the consultation version of, Vision for urban transport 2035 (Västra Götaland region, the City of Gothenburg, the municipalities of Mölndal and Partille 2016). Three cable car lines are marked with solid green lines. The Purple cable car route is represented by the green line in the middle of the picture. Red and Blue lines provide further planned public transport solutions. The investigation has included analyses of how cable cars affect the accessibility of pedestrian networks using space syntax analyses. The analyses show that cable cars can operate in three different ways in a city; the least effective way is when they function as a bridge (i.e. making a less significant connection); more effective is when they act as a link (i.e. it having the potential to knit the city together); most effective is when they act as a well-integrated link that has a significant impact on the street network. Accessibility analyses (integration analyses) show that the Purple line (in the space syntax analysis defined as Haga- Lindholmen-Ramberget-Wieselgrensplatsen on the basis of the current investigation) acts as a functioning bridge. This route is in a compact city centre, where the street network already has a high level of accessibility. The location will strengthen the city as a whole, and the area near the stops/stations on Hisingen. Both the working population and residents of Lantmannagatan and Wieselgrensplatsen will be helped by improved communications. Analyses of the cable car option show clearly that it increases access to the rest of the city. Already at low R values (R0-R16, an analysis measurement), we see that a cable car line will bridge the river Göta and knit the city closely together. The Urban Transport Administration considers that this result can also be applied to the proposed stretch of line. Another good argument for choosing the longer stretch is that it is the only option that will have a major impact on the Hisingen (north) side of the river. The cost of a tri-cable system (see Chapter 5.2) for the long stretch of line with four stations is estimated at between 850 and 1,050 million SEK at 2015 prices, while investment costs for a tri-cable system over the shorter, two-station stretch is estimated at between 330 and 550 million SEK at 2015 prices. The operational cost of the longer stretch is estimated at between 40 and 50 million SEK per year at 2015 prices. The operational cost of the shorter route has not been calculated but is estimated at between 25 and 35 million SEK per year at 2015 prices. Investment costs for the longer stretch of line with four stations is approximately twice as expensive as the shorter, two-station route which only crosses the river. However, the shorter option does not help achieve the goal of a close-knit city; nor does it strengthen the prioritised area for expansion at Wieselgrensplatsen as the longer one does. The longer option provides a cross-city link in the public transport system, making the Purple line of interest to the Västra Götaland region in its work on a vision for public transport in Gothenburg, Mölndal and Partille in All in all, it is judged that the longer alternative will attract more passengers than the shorter one and connect the city better, which is positive both from an environmental and social 44

44 perspective. Strengthening Wieselgrensplatsen and Lundby by giving them good access to the existing, compact inner city can also have positive economic consequences, if more areas in Gothenburg become increasingly attractive to businesses and investments. CONCLUSION 14: The cable car link should be built with four stations in order to achieve the goals of the creation of a close-knit city and to relieve pressure on existing forms of public transport. Advantages and disadvantages of building a cable car line in stages It should be possible to build either Järntorget Lindholmen, or Wieselgrensplatsen Lundby- Lindholmen as the first stage and then continue building the rest of the line at a later stage. If construction takes place in stages it is likely that the first stage would be Järntorget - Lindholmen as it is these two places where preliminary project work and detailed development plans are most advanced, and which would best fulfil the need for a cable car crossing the river in time for Jubilee celebrations in The second phase would involve an extension from Lindholmen to Lundby and Wieselgrensplatsen. Preliminary estimates from the Urban Transport Administration s chosen cable car supplier indicates that dividing construction into two stages would lead to 20 to 25% higher investment costs than building the whole route as part of a single, unified construction project. For the Purple line, the additional cost of building in two stages is between 200 and 250 million SEK. In addition, the first stage must be taken out of service for between one and three months when the second stage is connected up. The first stage between Järntorget and Lindholmen is estimated to cost between 350 and 550 million SEK. CONCLUSION 15: Implementation should be carried out in a single construction project in order to avoid higher costs, delays and disturbances to cable car traffic, and so as not to jeopardise the benefits resulting from the operation of the whole line. Risks While planning for the Purple line is not yet complete, there are a number of risks associated with its implementation which have not yet been clarified. Questions arise as to whether the schedule can be kept when various processes and permits (detailed development plan, building permits, and other authorisations) need to be in place in good time before The suitability of the cable car route requires further risk assessments including if/how the cable car can pass above routes for dangerous goods ( eg river Gota, Hamnbanan), over/next to shipyards, as well as any Stena ferries which are docked at the quayside. 45

45 5. POLICY PROPOSALS AND RECOMMENDEDATIONS In this chapter the Urban Transport Administration outlines the policy it proposes for its continued work. This chapter also provides a more detailed picture of what has been learned about building a cable car line beween Järntorget and Wieselgrensplatsen via Lindholmen and Lundby. 5.1 Description of the overall focus Urban cable cars can be used in many ways. However, taking into account the focus of the Urban Transport Administration which is described in this strategic choice of measures study, it is possible that cable cars in Gothenburg will be among the most useful urban cable car systems in the world. The aim is to connect cable cars carefully with the existing urban transport network on both neighbourhood and system levels, and for the system to be reliable, safe, accessible, fast and financially effective for its many stakeholders. The Urban Transport Administration considers that the first cable car line should be built between Järntorget and Wieselgrensplatsen, via Lindholmen and Lundby, as a single integrated project. This cable car line should be part of the core public transport system. The Urban Transport Administration's working name for this facility is the Purple line. Cable car lines should be characterized by high quality and thoughtful planning in order to give cable car technology the best possible conditions for winning over passengers, visitors and other Gothenburg residents. We also want to see the Purple line improve conditions in newly developed areas and improve life for residents in city areas which need active support to catch up with other districts. The purpose of the Purple cable car line is to create a cross-city link that in an innovative and resource-efficient way enables the development of a more compact, better-connected city by It is considered to have a good chance of meeting the goals set out in Chapter Detailed description of the recommended measure The Urban Transport Administration recommends that continued planning is based on the assumption that the whole Purple line is constructed as one integrated construction project. Also, that the whole process is informed by transparency, learning, social benefits and customer focus. The different choices involved in work on the cable car line, and the reasons for them, are described earlier in this document. Here we have summarized what the Urban Transport Administration has learned up to January 2016 regarding different factors and issues which need to be solved, or explored in more depth, in an implementation study. An implementation study is a report that answers how, when and who questions, as opposed to a strategic choice of measures study that focuses on what, why and where. Estimated numbers of journeys Traffic analyses looked at potential effects on passenger movement of the establishment of the Purple cable car line, for years 2020 to 2025, and estimated the number of passengers which would move from other forms of public transport at between 5,000 and 10, 000 travellers per day. We consider that cable cars would have a positive effect on tourism and marketing, but we have not yet managed to estimate how many tourists or visitors would use the Purple line when it is operational. 46

46 The number of passengers who went on the Gothenburg Wheel each day when it was placed at the Opera was on average between 500 to 600 passengers, all of whom needed to buy separate tickets. In the case of cable cars, there should be no price resistance as cable car tickets will be integrated into Västtrafik's normal pricing and ticketing system. It is difficult to estimate the number of new passengers which will be attracted to the cable cars because of their "wow factor." As the Purple line will attract passengers from the rest of the public transport services, this will help relieve public transport over Hisingbron (the bridge to Hisingen) - a necessary measure. Public transport on this stretch is already crowded and more links are necessary in order for the number of people choosing public transport to increase. The Urban Transport Administration considers that the Purple line will work well with a future Lindholmen link and that it can contribute to the public transport system by There are a number of years before it is reasonable to expect that a Lindholmen link can be operational. Ferry traffic over the river will continue to be necessary in the future - mainly for cyclists and people who fear heights - and we consider that the Purple line will act as a good complement to other ways of crossing the river, and will also provide a short-cut in the city. When the numbers of passengers per day using public transport lines in the Gothenburg area are measured ( passengers boarding per bus stop/station per 24-hour period), this cable car line is estimated to be one of the five most highly-used lines. Figure 31: Map showing results of traffic analyses. Green lines show the increase in number of passengers if a cable car is built, and the red lines show where the number of passengers will fall. The thicker the line, the bigger the increase / decrease. The clearest conclusion is that cable cars have the potential to attract a large number of passengers, especially those who would otherwise travel over Hisingbron (the bridge to Hisingen). Capacity Cable cars recommended by the Urban Transport Administration have a capacity of between 2,000 to 3,000 passengers per direction per hour. This is the same capacity as a tram line with 32-metre long carriages running at 6-minute intervals, or ferry services using the new shuttles and offering a 6 to 8-minute service. The Purple line will generate very large numbers of passenger places; between approximately 75,000 and 80,000 people per day will be able to use the line. The line is just three kilometres long, so the total number of passenger-seat kilometres per year is estimated at around 80 million. It is proposed that cable cars stop completely twice at stations, first for passengers getting off and then for passengers getting on. A new cable car will arrive every 45 seconds and each car has enough space for 25 standing passengers. The floor of the cable car will be around 3 x 3 metres and door openings approximately 120 to 130 cms wide to allow for a smooth journey for wheelchair users, people with luggage, prams, bicycles or similar. The speed between 47

47 stations should be between 18 and 25 km/h, which is a very competitive speed for public transport in densely built-up city centres. Capacity for bicycles The way bicycles can be carried in the cable cars is an issue to be addressed in detail in the next stage. The space for bicycles is expected to be limited to a few bikes per cable car, particularly in rush hours. With a cable car every 45 seconds, this results in a flow of 80 cable cars per hour in each direction. With a capacity of two cycles per cable car, the system can handle 320 cycles per hour, if the bicycles are transported all the way from Wieselgrensplatsen to Järntorget, which can be compared with the new ferry shuttles that have space for 80 cycles each. This means that cable cars in the future will need to be supplemented with other solutions in order to be able to manage the flow of bicycle traffic over the river. We also consider it important that passengers are able to park their bicycles next to the stations in safe and secure bicycle parks. Technology The technology that provides the required capacity and functional requirements is a tri-cable circulatory system with detachable grips with one moving cable, and two stationary cables which stabilise the cable car, even in strong winds. The detachable grips enable the cable cars to stop completely at stations where they are decoupled from the drive lines without stopping other cable cars. Figure 32: Outline of a circulatory system. The system can move both clockwise and anti-clockwise. A tri-cable system copes with gradients of approximately 35 degrees quite comfortably, which makes cable cars very good at crossing barriers. The maxim gradient for ascent is approximately 50 degrees, but it can be uncomfortable for passengers when the cable cars pass over the top of towers. The system is driven by two electric motors located at one of the stations. Each system has one or more reserve units which can supply power if necessary. The main strategy during an evacuation is to move cable cars to the stations and evacuate passengers from there. It is proposed that the depot for the storage and handling of the cable cars is located at either Lindholmen or Lundby station. Figure 33: Preliminary summary of cable car system, here illustrated in two sections, each with its own drive unit. It is suggested that the drive units and depot can be located at Lindholmen station, but the depot could also be placed at Lundby station. The advantage of having two sections is that the system is less sensitive to disruptions and one section can be maintained without the other one being affected. Building a system with two sections and two drive units is a little more expensive than a system with one section and one drive unit. However, building in stages would cost much more. 48

48 Shipping lanes on the river Göta are protected by the Swedish state up to a height of 45 metres in the part of the river the Purple line will cross. To allow cable cars to cross the shipping lanes, and also allow for a certain amount of slack on the line, towers of at least 70 metres height must be built on either side of the river. Cable cars are expected to travel on average 40 to 50 metres above the ground, while the aim is to place stations as close to ground level as possible. Figure 34: Preliminary sketch of the Järntorget-Wieselgrensplatsen section, via Lindholmen and Lundby. Preliminary sketches have also been made of other possible sections at Lindholmen. Figure 35: Part of the preliminary sketch above, which shows the slacker part of the line between the two towers. The Urban Transport Administration has not found any stipulations in Swedish legislation about the exact safe clearance between a cable car line installation and other constructions, but its plans have followed laws and regulations which apply in Austria. The reason is that Urban Transport Administration's consultant in cable car technology has particular experience of Austrian planning processes, and that Austria has well-developed and tested planning processes for cable car installations in urban environments. The Urban Transport Administration considers that the lack of Swedish specifications in this area is due to the fact that no Swedish city has previously had need of them. In Austria, existing regulations say that there should be no buildings which come closer than 34 metres to cable car lines, and there should be at least 25 metres clearance between cables and roof tops/the highest part of buildings. This is to minimize the risk of fire. If fire protection measures are taken, it may be possible to reduce this clearance gap of 25 metres, but this must be preceded by specific investigations. We intend to explore this aspect in a future implementation study. 25 m m Figures 36 and 37: Distance between cable car lines and other constructions in accordance with Austrian regulations. The cables are indicated by three oblique dashes. The sketches are not to scale.

49 A cable car line can have a high visual impact on an urban environment. The towers we are planning in Gothenburg are up to 70 to 75 metres in the air and the cable cars are the size of a mini bus. The visual impact needs to be further investigated and described. Measures can be taken to manage any noise issues. Some noise will occur at stations but sound insulation will stop it spreading, and as cable cars do not have their own engines the only noise along the routes comes from the tops of the towers when the cable cars go past, and there is a whining /murmuring noise from the cables. Some typical noise levels of a 35 cable car: Max. noise level at passenger platform level (inside station): 57 db Max. noise level directly at station entrance (open): 52 db Max. noise level 10 m in front of station entrance (open): 49 db Max. noise level 10 m behind station (closed wall): 44 db Max. noise level around tower (appr. 50 m high): 48 db (on the ground) Figure 38: Preliminary and theoretical noise levels generated by tri-cable cable car systems. After mail contact with Zatran GmbH in November Legal aspects The construction of a cable car line requires a detailed development plan and building permission in accordance with Swedish law (PBL, 2010:900). The Urban Transport Administration considers cable car traffic to fall into the category of cabin lifts, which is described in this law. When the detailed development plans are examined there will be further requirements for planning permission. They will depend on how we design the cable car line and more exactly where we place the stations and towers. The whole route, and the entire cable car infrastructure, will require detailed development plans. The law on public transport (LKT, 2010:1065) contains provisions in respect to traffic on roads, rail, and water and also includes trams and underground trains. However, cable cars are not named as a form of public transport. Västra Götaland region's legal unit considers that the current cable car project can be defined as public transport according to Swedish and EU public transport regulations. It can be funded in the same way as other forms of public transport will not come into conflict with the EU rules on state aid, and the EU Commission does not need to be notified prior to implementation. This is provided that the Västra Götaland region, if it decides to operate cable cars as public transport, classifies them under EU regulations as public passenger services, and prices fares in the same way as all other public transport and in accordance with LUF, the Swedish law on procurement in public organisations. (See below). Safety precautions, as well as operation and maintenance, are governed by the statutes of the Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning, 2002:9. The Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning's regulations and general advice on lifts and other motor-powered devices. (In Swedish.) The procurement of cable car installations is expected to be accordance with the Procurement Act (2007:1092), applying to the areas of water, energy, transport and postal services services (LUF). The law applies if an enterprise involves the provision or operation of public networks including transport by rail, automated systems, tramways, underground trains, buses, trolley buses or cable cars. 50

50 Passenger experience A cable car system would be something completely new to Gothenburg residents, even if the Urban Transport Administration recommends a well-established form of cable car technology. It would be the first driverless form of traffic in the Gothenburg public transport system and its high frequency would have a strong positive effect both on waiting times and the experience of changing lines. We believe that station platforms need to be staffed in order to reduce the concerns a driverless form of transport may entail. This will facilitate boarding and disembarking operations but will also ensure the safety of other people at the stations. These hosts will control who gets into the cable cars. During peak times the Urban Transport Administration assesses that risks to personal safety when travelling by cable car are not greater than for other forms of public transport in Gothenburg. Cable cars take 25 to 27 people each, and at peak periods there will probably be between 10 and 20 persons travelling in each cable car. We consider that these figures will reduce the risk of violent incidents. Many witnesses and many passengers who can intervene or call for assistance via the communication equipment mean that the police can be alarmed and be waiting for the particular cable car at the next station. The chance for perpetrators to escape after an offence should be quite low in peak travel periods. We realise that a driverless system raises questions about security, in particular during offpeak hours when the number of travellers drops and a passenger may feel vulnerable and risk ending up in a cable car with a troublesome fellow passenger. We are working to investigate different ways of increasing security and of using periods of low passenger numbers to make it possible to reserve cable cars in real time. If you book a cable car, you decide who the other passengers are and a platform host will ensure this arrangement works. You may need to wait for your reserved cable car, as we will probably not allow more than every third cable car to be reserved. In addition, we are considering letting one of the eight platform hosts (two at each station - four stations) to leave their platform duties at intervals and to travel in one cable car every twenty minutes. If passengers wished to travel on a manned service, they could wait for this particular cable car. When cable cars form part of Västtrafik's range of services, passenger demands for security in cable cars will be the same as in the rest of the public transport system. We also need to investigate the practicalities of introducing camera surveillance in cable cars, and investigate ways in which passengers would be able to contact personnel and report incidents. Passengers should at all times during their journeys be seen and heard, and be able to be addressed by staff. It is very important that cable car stations are highly integrated with other forms of public transport. Cable cars function as cross-city links only if passengers are willing to change one or more times. In this they differ from bridges which allow buses and trams to drive directly between different points. Placing cable car stations in unsuitable locations might mean that passengers would be less willing to use them. Travel times for the whole, or sections of, the route are very competitive compared with other means of getting around (see Figure 39). We believe that the high frequency of services will mean that changing to or from cable cars will not be perceived as being as inconvenient as transfers between other forms of public transport. The premise is that Västtrafik passengers can use their tickets on cable cars without any additional cost, and that cable cars are perceived as an integral part of the existing public transport system. The issue of allergies will also require further study, in collaboration with Västtrafik and passengers. One solution might be to reserve some cable cars either for people with allergies or for people travelling with animals. 51

51 Figure 39: Travel time per section. Cable cars usually have no external energy supply. Different suppliers of cable cars have different solutions for providing communications equipment, heat, cooling systems and light. The premise is that a cable car journey should provide equivalent or better comfort than other means of public transport. Cable cars will probably be equipped for both standing and sitting passengers. Traffic safety Studies at global level reveal that travelling on cable cars is three times safer than trams, buses or trains and fifty times safer than travelling by car. The detachable grip used on cable cars is a technological development based on a patent from It is widely used around the world in a wide range of environments and climates. Cable cars are based on proven technology, the only new aspect being their use in urban public transport in Swedish cities. Wind and weather In order to ensure a pleasant traveller experience and a high level of safety the Urban Transport Administration recommends a cable car system than can cope with a moderate gale, more in crosswinds, without the cable car line needing to be closed. Passengers must be able to feel sure that cable cars can run in normal Gothenburg weather conditions. When there is thunder and lightning, the system will close temporarily. Those responsible will receive information from the appropriate weather stations and be able to close the system in time, so that no passengers risk finding themselves in a cable car when a storm sets in. The risk of ice and snow falling from cables or other parts of the system is judged to be manageable by having a cable car in motion so that ice and snow cannot accumulate and harden. Other technical solutions will also be examined. Issues of weather will be studied further in the implementation study. Cable car systems are found in many climate zones around the world. However, there is a need to carefully examine how salt, and a wet climate, can affect mechanical and other components. 52

52 Cost of investment At the same time that we made a preliminary sketch of the Järntorget-Wieselgrensplatsen route via Lundby, and alternative locations for a station at Lindholmen, we also made an estimate of investment costs. This was done during autumn 2015, and so all prices are from that year, when the exchange rate between the euro and the Swedish krona was 9.50 SEK for one euro. The cost of the investment varies somewhat depending on which location is chosen for Lindholmen station, but in all cases is estimated at between 850 and 900 million SEK. Since many details have not been finalised yet and the procurement process always entails an element of uncertainly, the Urban Transport Administration estimates that investment costs for the Purple line - as far as can be judged at present - are 1.1 billion SEK (at 2015 prices) for planning, running the project, construction and operations. About half of the sum will go to electro-mechanical equipment (machinery at stations, platforms, lines, towers, control systems etc) and the other half to civil engineering structures (station buildings, foundations and preparing the sites). Building costs and the cost of land for cable car stations are not included in this budget. Costs for stations and towers cover what is regarded as standard, not ground-breaking, design. These are relatively early cost estimates which contain several large items whose prices have been calculated on a flat-rate basis. Work to identify probable investment and maintenance budgets will intensify in the recently-launched implementation study. The project has not yet assessed the need for - and hence the cost of - any changes to existing traffic solutions and streets near stations. The City of Gothenburg currently calculates that the facility owners will have a capital cost of just over 50 million SEK in the first year, which will fall to just over 30 million SEK in year 33. It is not yet decided how much of this cost the City of Gothenburg will need to bear when taking a life-cycle perspective. This will emerge in the next phase - the finalisation of the implementation study. The annual average cost for operation, maintenance and reinvestment The annual average cost for operation, maintenance and reinvestment is estimated at between 40 and 50 million SEK at 2015 levels. These are relatively early cost estimates which contain several large items whose prices have been calculated on a flat-rate basis. Work to identify a likely budget for operations etc. for this project is being carried out in collaboration with Västtrafik in the recently-started implementation study. Most of the costs are for staff. Keeping the cable car line in operation is expected to generate between 50 and 65 new jobs throughout the operational period. Assessments of costs and the need for staff are based on the assumption that the facility is used 365 days per year, 19 hours per day and that two station guards work at each station - one to assist in boarding and the other to assist passengers to disembark. Most indications are that this approach is possible in periods of low traffic and, in the long term, also in peak periods. It is unclear whether the City of Gothenburg will need to bear a part of the annual costs, but given that the cable car line will be a fully integrated part of the public transport system, most of the costs should be the responsibility of Västtrafik. The intended solution will produce 80 million passenger seat-kilometres per year. The operating cost per produced seat-kilometre will be approximately 50 to 60 Swedish öre (1 SEK = 100 öre). The total annual cost per produced seat-kilometre (including capital cost) will thus be between one Swedish kronor and one kronor twenty öre. The operational cost of the cable cars is essentially constant regardless of demand. 53

53 Proposed timetable for implementation The Urban Transport Administration produced the following timetable in autumn 2015, the objective of the project plan being to have a cable car line in operation in 2021, and a further line in operation in 2026 if the first one proves itself useful. The timetable reveals that this is a complex project and if a cable car is to be operational by 2021, several sub-projects must run concurrently, especially from 2016 to 18. Sub- A - Jubilee 2021 Year Q2Q3Q4Q1Q2Q3Q4Q1Q2Q3Q4Q1Q2Q3Q4Q1Q2Q3Q4Q1Q2Q3Q4Q1Q2Q3Q4Q1Q2Q3Q4Q1Q2Q3Q4Q1Q2Q3Q4Q1Q2Q3Q4Q1Q2Q B System requirements & pre-conditions B5 Finance & operations C - Future sections C4 Expertise in cable car matters D - Networking E Making line 1 possible by 2021 F Making line 2 possible by Lessons Communication Figure 40: Proposed general timetable for project, Establishing cable cars in Gothenburg For the actual construction part of the project, Establishing cable cars in Gothenburg, project planning has started to map the processes we believe are most critical for a successful implementation by The processes we have identified are: 1. Building: implementation study - project planning - construction - optimizing operations 2. Permission in line with laws on planning and construction, and with coming licensing processes in accordance with the Swedish Environmental Code and similar: development of the consultation document - inspection - acceptance - validation - appeal - building permit. 3. Procurement of construction services: request for information - preparing specifications - negotiating procurement - the award decision 4. Political decisions and mandate: initial decision - decision on business model - the adoption of detailed development plan - investment decisions We see that these processes are inter-connected and that we need to work with them in parallel. There also needs to be an iterative rather than a sequential approach, when many issues are interdependent and when, for example, one choice depends on the choice made in a parallel process. 54

54 Activity Year Building Implementation study/ Project 9 m Construction 18 m Optimizing Pre-project planning 22 m operations 3 m Permission Documentiong Public Comes into force/ Building permit plans hearing appeal Construction procurement RFI Prepare technical Procurement Risk 6 m Decision/s specifications negotiations 3 m Major decisions TG2 Decision on focus TG3 Decision on business model TG4 Acceptance of detailed development plan TG5 Investment decision/s Figure 41: Proposed timetable to make possible a first cable car line by 2020, with regard to construction, permission, procurement and political decision-making processes. Parties/stakeholders responsible It is recommended that the Urban Transport Administration is given a mandate to lead the planning process which aims to build the first cable car line in Gothenburg. It is proposed that work be carried out in close collaboration with Västtrafik public transport, Gothenburg City Planning Office, Gothenburg Public Buildings and Property, Älvstranden Utveckling AB, relevant city district administrations, and the Västra Götaland region and Greater Gothenburg emergency services and with an open approach to the public. The Urban Transport Administration considers that opening this cable car line may continue to be part of Gothenburg's four-hundred year Jubilee celebrations and that planning should be done in close association with the Jubilee organisation. The Urban Transport Administration suggests that the cable car line shall be regarded as part of the public transport system. The City of Gothenburg and Västra Götaland region need to work out how to divide up the costs for different parts of the system and its operation. In the current situation we do not have to fix on unilateral ownership if we wish to achieve the best implementation and the best form of ownership. It may be a better solution if different parts of the cable car system are owned by different parties. The Urban Transport Administration and Västtrafik will continue to collaborate on questions of ownership in order to find the optimal solution. 55