On Monday morning, Politiken could reveal that the state-owned holding company Sund & Bælt had sent consultancy work to prepare a fixed connection over the Kattegat to tender – directly against the political decision not to. On Wednesday, Sund & Bælt then announced that they were withdrawing the tender.
Time for a debate
However, the tender has provided reason to debate, and in order to avoid misunderstandings, Sund & Bælt has therefore chosen to withdraw the tender regarding the framework agreement for consultancy services until there is a political agreement regarding further studies of a Kattegat connection, writes Sund & Bælt in a concise press release.
In June this year, Transport Minister Trine Bramsen (S) issued a press release about a possible fixed connection over the Kattegat.
Not a basis to start
– The preliminary study of the Kattegat does not provide a basis for initiating the project. Thus, no specific construction activities will be initiated. There is political support for further discussion of further investigations into climate and environmental consequences, Trine Bramsen is quoted as saying in the press release.
A step too far forward
Sund & Bælt interpreted this as a signal that they could proceed with the preliminary investigations. But there they were just a little too fast, says Kristian Pihl Lorentzen, who is traffic commissioner for Venstre:
– Here, they (Sund & Bælt, ed.) have gone a step too far. A Kattegat connection is a huge project, so you have to be on safe ground in relation to the political system, says Kristian Pihl Loretzen.
No comment
Acting transport minister, Trine Bramsen (S), has not returned FemernReport’s inquiry. The Ministry of Transport refers to Sund & Bælt. Sund & Bælt does not wish to comment beyond what they have written in the press release.
Agreement on element factory
Kristian Pihl Lorentzen from Venstre does not believe that Sund & Bælt generally have difficulty staying within the target concerning the political mandate. Sund & Bælt has also recently convened an idea development meeting on preserving the tunnel element factory at the Femern construction site in Rødbyhavn. This is even though the Construction Act stipulates that the factory must be taken down when the tunnel construction is finished: – There is a broad political agreement that it is a good idea to preserve the element factory on Lolland, so it is perfectly fine that they (Sund & Bælt, ed.) is investigating the possibilities for that, he says.
