Bergen trolleybus
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| Locale | Bergen, Norway |
|---|---|
| Transit type | Trolleybus |
| Began operation | December 15, 1909 |
| System length | 4.1 km |
| No. of lines | 1 |
| Daily ridership | 6,000 |
| Operator | Tide |
The Bergen trolleybus system is the only remaining trolleybus operations in Norway. It was created when the Bergen Tramway was gradualy closed and some of the lines were transfered to trolleybus operation. The system opened on February 24, 1950 and consisted of to lines (2 and 5) until 1995 when line 5 was closed. The system was originally built and operated by Bergen Sporvei, and is now operated by its successor Tide. When the Bergen Light Rail is constructed there may be changed is the trolleybus network. As of 2007 the system consists of six trolleybuses and two dual-mode buses.
[edit] History
While Drammen got their trolleybus network in 1909, the first planes for trolleybuses in Bergen was launched in 1928, and in 1937 Bergen Sporvei, that operated the tramway, studied trolleybus systems in Europe and on July 7, 1940 the city council decided to build two trolleybus lines; Line 5 Mulen - City Centre - Møhlenpris and Line 7 Nordnes - City Centre - Fjøsangerveien. In 1942 Bergen Sporvei started rebuilding some of their gasolene buses to trolleybuses, but in 1944 the German occupation forces took the bus and moved it to Lübeck, and the company stopped rebuilding the buses. The fuel shortage during World War II made trolleybuses extremely popular, since Norway had an abundance of cheap electricity combined with the hilly landscape in Bergen, another advantage of the trolleybus.[1]
After the war the construction of the 4.1 km Line 5 started, and in 1950 Tramline 3 was replaced with trolleybus line 5. By the opening five gasolene buses had been rebuilt, giving a headway of 10 minutes, reduced to 7.5 minutes a year later when three more buses from Strømmens Værksted were bought. The line was popular, and traffic increased. In 1954 the reconstruction of Tramline 2 to trolleybus started and in 1957 the 6.5 km second line opened with 18 new buses. The ridership reached a climax in 1959 with more than ten million passengers per year on the two routes. In 1960 the car sale in Norway was deregulated, resulting in fewer public transport riders.[1]
Through the 1970s Bergen Sporvei tried to stop the trolleybus operation, but the city council wouldn't allow that. Still, in 1995 there was a major road work resulting in the closure of Line 5, with only Line 2 remaining.[1] Plans for the new Bergen Light Rail involve expanding the trolleybus line from Møhlenpris to Oasen and from Mulen to Paradis.[2]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Aspenberg, Nils Carl (1996). Trolleybussene i Norge. Oslo: Baneforlaget, 96.
- ^ Bergen Light Rail. Vision for public transit for the Bergen region. Retrieved on January 25, 2007.
