On Addressing Deferred Railway Maintenance

The election manifesto demands that the road network and railways be upgraded in large parts of Sweden and counts railways among the infrastructure investments to be made. The party programme demands a comprehensive and long-term investment plan and asserts that coordination is essential for maintenance to work. The counter-proposal's demands for higher ambitions and increased funds for neglected railway maintenance are therefore supported by the plan.

• upgraded railwaysdecisive»Vägnätet och järnvägen behöver rustas upp i stora delar av Sverige, när industrierna nu expanderar på nya platser.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The road network and railways need to be upgraded in large parts of Sweden, as industries now expand in new places.”
• coordinated railway maintenance»ägandeformer och samordning är avgörande för att trafiken« (party programme ↗)“ownership structures and coordination are crucial for traffic”
• long-term investment plan»Det behövs en omfattande och långsiktig investeringsplan för det,« (party programme ↗)“There needs to be a comprehensive and long-term investment plan for that,”
• massive infrastructure investments»det kommer också skapa väldigt många nya jobb över hela landet genom infrastruktursatsningar på järnväg, vägar, energi, bostäder och välfärd« (2022 manifesto ↗)“it will also create very many new jobs across the country through infrastructure investments in railways, roads, energy, housing and welfare”

The party programme requires improved maintenance of railways mainly in state management and a railway where passengers and businesses can trust that trains run on time, and the election manifesto promises massive investments in both new and existing railways. Demands for raised ambitions and increased resources to clear the neglected maintenance backlog are precisely this commitment. The plan also links robust infrastructure to preparedness in crisis and raised preparedness.

• improved railway maintenancedecisive»Förbättrat underhåll av vägar och järnvägar, huvudsakligen i statlig regi.« (party programme ↗)“Improved maintenance of roads and railways, mainly in state management.”
• reliable railway»En järnväg där passagerare och företag kan lita på att tågen går i tid.« (party programme ↗)“A railway where passengers and businesses can trust that trains run on time.”
• investments in existing railways»Genom massiva investeringar i både ny och befintlig järnväg kommer fler att kunna resa klimatsmart med tåg.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Through massive investments in both new and existing railways, more people will be able to travel climate-smart by train.”
• infrastructure for preparedness»Stark infrastruktur för stärkt beredskap.« (party programme ↗)“Strong infrastructure for strengthened preparedness.”

The election manifesto promises to expand and upgrade the railway network throughout the country, and the party programme states that the railway network is neglected and requires investments in maintenance and upgrading of existing infrastructure. The plan also requires that society secures control over critical infrastructure in crises. The counter-proposal's demands for raised ambitions and increased funds to clear the maintenance backlog are therefore supported.

• upgrade the railway networkdecisive»bygga ut och rusta upp järnvägsnätet för snabba tåg i hela landet och skynda på bygget av nya stambanor för höghastighetståg.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“expand and upgrade the railway network for fast trains throughout the country and speed up the construction of new main lines for high-speed trains.”
• investments in maintenance»Det krävs även satsningar på underhåll och upprustning av befintlig infrastruktur,« (party programme ↗)“There are also needed investments in maintenance and upgrading of existing infrastructure,”
• neglected railway»järnvägsnätet är eftersatt.« (party programme ↗)“the railway network is neglected.”
• critical infrastructure in crisis»kritisk infrastruktur och att välfärd, kommunikation, vatten, energiproduktion och elnät« (party programme ↗)“critical infrastructure and that welfare, communication, water, energy production and electricity networks”

The plan promises to upgrade regional railways and raise the standard of the national trunk rail network throughout the country, and that infrastructure should be reliable everywhere. A maintenance backlog where less than one-sixth is handled during the plan period is incompatible with that commitment. The plan moreover requires preparedness that holds up in crisis. Therefore the requirement for higher ambitions and increased funds is supported.

• upgrade and raise standards on railwaysdecisive»Vi vill rusta upp regionala järnvägar, bygga nya stambanor från norr till söder, höja standarden på det nationella stambanenätet i hela landet och storsatsa på morgondagens tågtrafik — för klimatets och landsbygdens bästa.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to upgrade regional railways, build new trunk railways from north to south, raise the standard of the national trunk rail network throughout the country and invest heavily in tomorrow's rail traffic — for the climate's and the countryside's sake.”
• reliable infrastructure throughout the country»Hela landet ska ha tillgång till en pålitlig infrastruktur, snabbt bredband och pålitlig mobiltäckning.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The whole country should have access to reliable infrastructure, fast broadband and reliable mobile coverage.”
• preparedness in crisis and heightened preparedness»Även det civila försvaret är livsviktigt. Vi måste rusta civilförsvaret och samhällets beredskap inför krig och kris.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Civil defence is also vital. We must strengthen civil defence and society's preparedness for war and crisis.”
• attractive rail traffic»Det ska dessutom vara smidigt att välja bort bilen till förmån för tåg, buss, båt och cykel.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It should also be easy to choose away the car in favour of trains, buses, boats and bicycles.”

The election manifesto explicitly prioritizes building away railway network bottlenecks and getting trains to run on time here and now, and the party programme describes the railway network as in strong need of upgrading. Raised ambitions and increased funds to pay off maintenance debt is precisely that prioritization. The plan also wants to strengthen civil defense, which speaks for robust railway.

• upgrading before new constructiondecisive»Vi vill bygga bort järnvägsnätets flaskhalsar och så att tågen går i tid här och nu« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to build away railway network bottlenecks and so trains run on time here and now”
• neglected railway maintenance»Järnvägsnätet för gods- och persontransporter är i starkt behov av upprustning och utbyggnad« (party programme ↗)“The railway network for freight and passenger transport is in strong need of upgrading and expansion”
• large infrastructure investments»Sverige behöver fortsatt stora investeringar i infrastruktur.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden needs continued large investments in infrastructure.”
• strengthened civil defense»det civila försvaret stärkas i samma takt som det militära« (2022 manifesto ↗)“civil defense is strengthened at the same pace as the military”

The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.

The party programme places on the state the responsibility to keep the investment level in, among other things, railways at a high level long-term and describes a well-functioning system of roads and railways as a prerequisite for regional balance. The counter-proposal's requirement for raised ambitions and increased resources against maintenance debt is exactly such a stewardship of existing assets that the election manifesto prioritizes when it wants to upgrade the neglected. The requirement for restraint in public expenditure is a counterweight but does not break the commitment.

• high investment level in infrastructuredecisive»Staten har ansvar för att investeringsnivån i kommunikationssystemens infrastruktur såsom vägar, järnvägar och elektroniska kommunikationskanaler hålls på en långsiktigt hög nivå så att ekonomisk utveckling och regional balans främjas« (party programme ↗)“The state is responsible for keeping the investment level in communication system infrastructure such as roads, railways and electronic communication channels at a long-term high level so that economic development and regional balance are promoted”
• upgrade neglected infrastructure»Miljardsatsning för att rusta eftersatta vägar i hela landet - istället för att bygga dyra höghastighetståg.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Billion-kronor investment to upgrade neglected roads across the country - instead of building expensive high-speed trains.”
• functioning transport system»Ett väl fungerande system av vägar, järnvägar, flygförbindelser, sjöfart samt tillförlitliga elektroniska kommunikationer med hög prestanda är en förutsättning för regional balans, ekonomisk utveckling och mänsklig kontakt.« (party programme ↗)“A well-functioning system of roads, railways, air connections, shipping and reliable electronic communications with high performance is a prerequisite for regional balance, economic development and human contact.”
• restrained public expenditure»Sparandet i den svenska ekonomin måste hållas högt genom hushållssparande och genom återhållsamhet i de offentliga utgifterna.« (party programme ↗)“Savings in the Swedish economy must be kept high through household savings and through restraint in public expenditure.”

The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.

The election manifesto explicitly promises to upgrade the railway that already exists instead of expensive prestige projects, so that trains run on time. The counter-proposal's demand for raised ambitions and increased funding to clear the maintenance backlog is precisely that commitment put into practice during the plan period. The plan at the same time requires that new promises fit within the surplus target, which applies to financing but not the level of ambition.

• upprusta befintlig järnvägdecisive»I stället för dyra och olönsamma skrytbyggen som höghastighetståg kommer Moderaterna rusta upp den järnväg som redan finns, så att tågen kan gå i tid och du slipper stå och frysa på perrongen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Instead of expensive and unprofitable prestige projects like high-speed trains, the Moderates will upgrade the railway that already exists, so that trains can run on time and you don't have to stand freezing on the platform.”
• prioritera järnvägsunderhåll»Rusta upp dagens järnväg i stället för att satsa på höghastighetståg som riskerar att vara omoderna redan innan de är klara« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Upgrade today's railway instead of betting on high-speed trains that risk being outdated before they are even finished”
• tåg i tid»Vi vill ta ansvar för att tågen går i tid och att vägarna håller hög kvalitet i stället för låg hastighet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to take responsibility for trains running on time and roads maintaining high quality instead of low speed.”
• finansierade reformer»Alla nya löften och reformer – som till exempel våra inkomstskattesänkningar – behöver finansieras eller rymmas inom överskottsmålet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“All new promises and reforms – such as for example our income tax cuts – need to be financed or fit within the surplus target.”

The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.

The election manifesto states that the railway is neglected with weak subgrades and explicitly requires that road and rail networks are upgraded and that maintenance is improved, with funds redirected from new prestige railway projects. The counter-proposal's demand for raised ambitions and increased resources to clear the maintenance backlog is precisely that commitment. The plan therefore supports the demand.

• upgraded rail networkdecisive»Rusta upp väg- och järnvägsnätet i hela landet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Upgrade road and rail networks throughout the country”
• neglected rail maintenance»Järnvägen är eftersatt och på sina håll får tågen köra mycket långsamt på grund av krokig sträckning och svaga banvallar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The railway is neglected and in places trains run very slowly because of curved routing and weak subgrades.”
• maintenance before new construction»Dessa medel bör istället riktas för att underhålla och förbättra det väg- och järnvägsnät vi redan har, med snabbare resultat som kommer fler medborgare till gagn.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“These funds should instead be directed to maintain and improve the road and rail network we already have, with faster results that benefit more citizens.”
• better maintenance»Förbättra underhållet av vägar och järnväg« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Improve maintenance of roads and railways”

The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.