Bergen trolleybus
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| Bergen trolleybus | |
 |
|
| 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(s) | Tide |
The Bergen trolleybus system is the only trolleybus system still in operation in Norway. The system opened on February 24, 1950 as the Bergen Tramway was gradually closed and some of the tramway lines were transferred to trolleybus operation. The system was originally built and operated by Bergen Sporvei, and is now operated by its successor, Tide. As of 2007 the system consists of six trolleybuses and two dual-mode buses.
[edit] History
The first trolleybus network in Norway, the Drammen trolleybus network, opened in 1909. Planning for a trolleybus system of their own first began in Bergen in 1928, and in 1937 Bergen Sporvei, the company operating Bergen's tramway, began studying trolleybus systems around Europe. On July 7, 1940 the city council decided to build two trolleybus lines: Line 5 , with a Mulen - City Centre - Møhlenpris route, and Line 7, with a Nordnes - City Centre - Fjøsangerveien route. In 1942 Bergen Sporvei started converting some of their gasolene buses to trolleybuses, but in 1944 the German occupation forces took the completed bus and moved it to Lübeck, and the company stopped rebuilding their buses.
The fuel shortage during World War II made trolleybuses extremely popular, since Norway had an abundance of cheap electricity.[1] After the war the construction of the 4.1 km Line 5 started, and in 1950 Tramline 3 was replaced with the new trolleybus Line 5. By that time, five gasolene buses had been converted, giving a headway of 10 minutes. A year later, three more buses were bought from Strømmens Værksted and the headway was reduced to 7.5 minutes. The line was popular, and traffic increased. In 1954 the conversion of Tramline 2 to trolleybus started, and in 1957 the 6.5 km Line 2 opened with 18 new buses. The ridership reached its peak 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 end the trolleybus operation, but the city council wouldn't allow that. However, in 1995 there was major road work resulting in the closure of Line 5. As of 2007, Line 5 has remained closed, leaving Bergen Line 2 the only operational trolleybus line in Norway.[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 2007-01-25.
