- No, it will not affect our position. We signed last Thursday under an agreement to co-finance traffic with 29 million per year, says Julie Tran (C), chairman of the traffic and community planning committee at Region Östergötland.

New trains

She believes that Kalmar's major investment is logical and in line with the region's previous stance. They have procured new trains that are expected to be in service by 2024.

- But this presupposes that the track is electrified and that a new signaling system is installed. The investment of 500 million also presupposes that the state invests 1.5 billion.

Prioritizes differently

Julie Tran points out that Östergötland prioritises Ostlänken and that the schedule for it holds. There, the trains are scheduled to run in 2035.

- The last two years I have had good conversations with Kalmar about the traffic, but we have not talked about the railway itself. Now Kalmar has stated that the courses are their highest priority.

She also says that the region has talked to the Östergötland municipalities about what their priorities are. For example, the municipality of Kinda wants to invest in bypassing in Kisa.

Further ahead

Regarding the future of Tjustbanan, Julie Tran says this:

- Now we have decided on Målbild 2040 and then I can see a bus concept. Today we pay four million annually for train traffic and that corresponds to the price of buses. There it will be up to Kalmar how they want to do later.

- When it comes to the Stångådal line, we demand punctuality and quality from Östergötland in order for us to continue to co-finance the traffic. A lot can also happen in the future. Today we have an agreement with Kalmar that extends to 2033.