Second phase of Bergen Light Rail opens ahead of schedule and under budget

The second phase of Bergen Light Rail in Norway opens officially on Saturday 22 June, and was completed two months ahead of schedule and 300 million Kroner under budget. Atkins was responsible for designing the 3.6km double track line between Bergen city centre and the outskirt community of Radal.

Construction on the second stage began in January 2011 and takes in five new stations. Working with consultancy Multiconsult, Atkins provided design of the track, catenary and rail power supply and RAMS-work for the overall design.

Torsten Valentin Summer, Atkins’ project manager, said: “This project is a great example of team collaboration at its best, working together to come up with buildable technical solutions and efficient project management. The result was beneficial all round, with an early completion date and cost-savings for the client.”

Bergen lies on the west coast of Norway and is characterised by a relatively small centre surrounded by many smaller communities and has a population of 268,800. Greater Bergen has a population of 395,100, making Bergen the second largest city in Norway.

The first stage of Bergen’s new light rail system, covering 9.8km and 15 stations between Bergen centre and Nesttun, opened in 2010 and was Northern Europe’s first new-build light rail in 50 years. Today it transports over 31,000 passengers daily, attracting far more than was originally predicted.