Additional funding for climate action and basic transport infrastructure management in the budget of the Ministry of Transport and Communications

The Government has agreed on the budget proposal for 2020. In order to combat climate change, investments will be made in promoting low-emission transport and walking and cycling. The government budget session also agreed on additional funding for the basic transport infrastructure management.

More funding to basic transport infrastructure management

A permanent increase of EUR 300 million is proposed for the funding of basic transport infrastructure management in order to reduce the road, rail and waterway repair backlog and stop it from growing. Together with other increases, the funding for the basic transport infrastructure management will grow by EUR 362 million in 2020.

"It has been agreed in the Government Programme that the funding level for the basic transport infrastructure management will be permanently raised. The additional funding now agreed will improve the condition of the transport network and the transport connections throughout the country. This facilitates everyday mobility and improves road safety and the operating environment for businesses," says Minister of Transport and Communications Sanna Marin.

For removing dangerous level crossings, a total of EUR 22 million is proposed for 2020-2021.

In the second supplementary budget for 2019, a significant appropriation was allocated to basic transport infrastructure management for launching eight new basic repair projects.

A discretionary government transfer of EUR 20 million will be allocated to private roads for 2020.

Large-scale rail transport projects

On 10 September 2019, the Ministerial Committee on Economic Policy supported the guidelines for promoting large-scale rail transport investments. According to the decision by the Ministerial Committee, the Ministry of Transport and Communications will launch negotiations to establish the project companies "Turun tunnin juna" (One Hour Train, high-speed rail link between Helsinki and Turku) and "Suomi-rata" (Finland Railway).

By recapitalising the Nordic Railways Ltd by EUR 15.7 million, the Government is making provision for plans to implement the one-hour Helsinki-Turku fast rail link and the fast Finland Railway line. The State is prepared to finance the planning by a total of EUR 115 million.

Rail connections to the main line will be improved between Tampere and Pori, Tampere and Jyväskylä, and Seinäjoki and Vaasa. The Tampere-Pori rail service will be improved and speeded up by allocating EUR 40 million in basic infrastructure management funds for the removal of level crossings. An authorisation of EUR 18 million will be allocated to planning faster services and improved capacity on the Tampere-Jyväskylä line. An authorisation of EUR 3 million will be allocated to planning faster services on the Seinäjoki-Vaasa line.

A new project will be set up for the electrification of the Hanko-Hyvinkää rail section (authorisation of EUR 62 million).

The planning of the Ajos shipping route will continue as agreed in the second supplementary budget for this year.

Promotion of walking and cycling

EUR 21 million will be allocated to promoting walking and cycling in 2020.

As part of the promotion programme adopted by the Government, a joint investment programme by the state and municipalities will be implemented to improve the conditions for walking and cycling. The promotion programme is part of the national energy and climate strategy.

It is proposed that from 2020 onwards, an increase of EUR 20 million be allocated to public transport subsidies. In accordance with the Government Programme, this will be allocated to climate-related measures.

Investments in road safety

The Government will invest in promoting road safety. An appropriation of EUR 9.1 million will be allocated to state subsidies for road safety activities and development projects, experimentation and safety research.

Minister of Transport and Communications Sanna Marin considers it important that funding for road safety measures has now been secured.

"I am pleased that this funding will ensure the road safety and awareness raising work by the Finnish Road Safety Council," says Minister Marin.

Additional funding for the National Cyber Security Centre

The government budget session also agreed on additional funding for the National Cyber Security Centre. The Centre operates under the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, Traficom. It improves and supervises the reliability and security of the communication networks and services and provides a situation report on information security. Additional funding of EUR 1.2 million will be allocated to the Centre in 2020. In addition, the Ministry of Transport and Communications will receive EUR 2 million for the coordination and improvement of cyber security.

"We want to improve our society's ability to detect and prevent cyber threats against us. This affects all areas of society," says Minister Marin.

Projects of the Finnish Meteorological Institute

Funding for two projects of the Finnish Meteorological Institute was agreed in the budget session. The Meteorological Institute provides space weather services in accordance with the requirements of the global ICAO Space Weather Centre.

Funding for the European Aerosol, Clouds and Trace gases Research Infrastructure (ACTRIS) was also agreed. A total of EUR 1.3 million is proposed for the projects of the Meteorological Institute.

Inquiries:

Sanna Marin, Minister of Transport and Communications, contacts: Pirita Ruokonen, Special Adviser, tel. +358 50 911 3099

Mikko Koskinen, State Secretary, tel. +358 50 304 2007