Picture: Femern A/S
-The construction phase of the fixed link is an important tool to assure that Region Zealand and Schleswig Holstein can recover from the financial recession.
This according to the Chair of STRING and Minister for Justice, Cultural and European Affairs for Schleswig Holstein, Anke Spoorendonk.
She and the other STRING top politicians came together on Bornholm today, Friday 13th of June, for their Political Forum during Folkemødet.
-We have already seen examples of two large infrastructure projects, namely the fixed links across the Storebælt and Öresund. These serve as good showcases that large scale projects can be made economically and environmentally sustainable. We trust this will be the case for the Fehmarn Link as well. Denmark has twice proven that it can be done, and has the competences and resources to deliver world class standards for Fehmarn as well, argues Spoorendonk.
-But of course we are not naive – we are constantly aware of the fact that the project must meet high demands both during the construction and the approval process. This is constantly on our minds, throughout the entire process, Spoorendonk continues.
The Fehmarn project is currently going through the approval phases both in Denmark and Germany, and the tender procedure is simultaneously undertaken by Femern A/S. The final approval is expected in 2015, when the actual construction work also is expected to start.
-As we have seen on Storebælt and Öresund, new infrastructure is game changing for the societies around it. Therefore STRING is planning for the future, when the new infrastructure is installed and we should be able to harvest the economic, societal and the individuals benefit of the investment, Anke Spoorendonk concludes.
Amongst the meetings other participants was Claus Baunkjaer, director for the government owned company Femern A/S, tasked with project managing the fixed link.
Mr. Baunkjær explained the project, the approval procedure and the environmental, educational and labour market benefits that will stem from the largest construction project in Europe; both when it comes to the construction phase and the aftermaths of the regional effects.
