Finland: Comments invited on the National Transport System Plan and its impact assessment

NordenBladet — The Ministry of Transport and Communications requests comments on the draft National Transport System Plan for 2021-2032 and its impact assessment. The deadline for submitting comments is 23 February 2021.The National Transport System Plan aims to add a longer-term perspective to the development of the transport system across Finland. The Plan will be approved for 12 years at a time.

The preparation of the Plan is based on the Act on the Transport System and Highways. An environmental assessment required by law has been carried out of the Plan.

Plan covers the whole of Finland
The Plan will cover all transport modes, passenger and goods transport, transport networks, services and support measures for the transport system.

The following has been included in the Plan:-a vision of the transport system development until 2050-an assessment of the current state of the transport system and of the changes in the operating environment-goals of the Plan and the strategic guidelines specifying them-an action plan for achieving the objectives-a government funding programme.

The Plan has been prepared at parliamentary level and in close interaction with stakeholders since June 2019.

Strategic situation picture of the transport network
The Transport and Communications Agency Traficom and the Transport Infrastructure Agency have together updated the strategic picture of the situation with regard to transport network. It will be published on 21 January 2021. The situation picture reviews the need to develop the transport network, including the state infrastructure network. The review will be used in the implementation of the National Transport System Plan. In the future, the situation picture will be updated twice a year.

Next steps
The draft National Transport System Plan for 2021-2032 and its impact assessment will be available for comments until 23 February 2021.Comments can be presented by all organisations and citizens at www.lausuntopalvelu.fi. The feedback received will be considered in finalising the Transport System Plan before any decisions are made. The comments will also be taken into account in the impact assessment.

The Government is due to submit the National Transport System Plan for 2021-2032 in the form of a report to Parliament in spring 2021. After the discussion in Parliament, the decision on the Plan will be made by the Government.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi