The train industry warns of major risks of disruption just in time for Christmas traffic

For several years, the Swedish Transport Administration has worked with the project MPK (market-oriented planning of capacity), which has been called a "paradigm shift in Swedish railways".

The aim is to create better planning of which trains go where and when.

On December 11, the new IT system will be put into use.

SJ has written to the Swedish Transport Administration several times during the year and pointed out what they see as serious flaws in the new systems and that these can lead to "serious disturbances in train traffic".

Tobbe Lundell, press manager at SJ, says that SJ is fundamentally positive about a new system:

- But the problem is that we still haven't received enough facts about what it means and how it will affect us.

According to him, SJ already flagged this spring because the system needed to be in place by the summer to be prepared and tested, something they still haven't had the opportunity to do.

SJ cannot answer how much traffic disruption may occur.

- We take height because there could be major train disruptions, says Tobbe Lundell.

Didn't get all flight plans for Christmas

The trade organization Tågföretagen has also expressed concern about the new system.

In a letter to the Minister of Infrastructure, they write that "it is highly likely that we will have major disruptions in Swedish train traffic".

Lina Lagerroth, economic policy expert at Tågföretagen, says that a new system is good.

- But we are very worried that we have not come far enough this late.

She says that the entire industry shares the concern and feels that they have not received sufficient information from the Swedish Transport Administration.

- We still haven't received all the flight plans for Christmas.

The Swedish Transport Administration calm down

Bengt Olsson, press manager at the Swedish Transport Agency, says that he fully understands that there will be concern in the industry before a new system, but expects that it will work.

He agrees that it is good to test things properly, but that there were no conditions for that.

He is not worried that there would be major disturbances.

- Of course things can arise.

But we are prepared for disruptions in train traffic every day.

We feel confident that this will work.

See what SJ's press manager Tobbe Lundell says about the new IT system and the problems that may arise in the player above.