Preliminary study
Commuter rail service Uppsala – Heby – Sala
A preliminary study commissioned by the Uppsala County Council to be carried out by Upplands Lokaltrafik (UL) outlined the potential for commuter rail service on the route Uppsala - Heby - Sala. The preliminary study will serve as the basis for how this project is to be implemented.
The preliminary study commissioned by Uppsala County Council has now been presented. The purpose of this study is to analyze the market for commuter rail service between Sala and Uppsala.
The investigation was carried out in accordance with UL's goal that public transit should contribute to long-term regional development.
Public transit in the corridor Uppsala - Sala currently consists mainly of buses that serve all intermediate points (Vänge, Järlåsa, Vittinge, Morgongåva and Heby). Bus services are characterized by high frequency and accessibility. Half-hourly service runs Monday-Friday during rush hour, hourly service runs one an hour throughout the route for a total of 25 trips in each direction.
On the railways running Uven trains between Uppsala, Sala, Västerås and Eskilstuna to Norrköping. These trains stop in Morgongåva and Heby. Dalatågen also travels this leg without stopping between Sala and Uppsala.
The preliminary study proposes a three-step action plan:
Step 1: Proposal for a new service schedule which can take effect on the existing UVEN routes between Sala and Uppsala once the current contract with Mälab has expired.
Step 2: Proposal for new station stops between Uppsala and Sala to meet new accessibility goals.
Step 3: Proposal for expanding service frequency to create a fully comprehensive system.
In Step 1, the focus is on operational changes to train services. In steps 2 and 3, the focus is on scheduling and infrastructural measures to achieve the objectives before us.
"The preliminary study reveals a number of issues that the county council and affected municipalities need to discuss and resolve," said County Commissioner Eric Weiman. One of the first issues to be resolved is how to fund UVEN services after 2009, when the current contract between the county council and Rikstrafiken expires.
In our current estimation, more extensive commuter traffic service on this route can become a reality in 2011 at the earliest. But many issues remain, including funding for services and construction of stations and tracks, which must be resolved before any decision can be made.
Summary of Uppsala-Sala preliminary study, pdf
For questions regarding this press release, please contact County Commissioner Erik Weiman at 018-611 60 26 or UL CEO Klas Wåhlberg at 070-570 35 99.