The proposed new intercity rail line between Helsinki and Turku hit a setback last week when the EU Commission turned down a funding application — and now political support for the project appears to be weakening among government parties.
The project, which is intended to free up rail capacity and reduce journey times between Finland's current and former capital cities, was discussed on Yle's television and radio morning news shows on Wednesday. National Coalition Party MP Aleksi Jäntti said that he might prefer to invest funds in improvements on the main rail line north from Helsinki through Tampere.
"If I could choose myself, then I would invest in the main line for reasons of security of supply," said Jäntti, an MP from the Tampere region in the same party as Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP).
Orpo himself is from Turku.
Jäntti admits the so-called Länsirata project remains solid value for money, and it has been enshrined in the government programme. He asserts that his party is committed to making sure it happens.
"But it isn't my favourite," said Jäntti.
The overall cost is estimated at 3.4–4 billion euros, reports Turun Sanomat.
Contested project
Jäntti was joined on the morning shows by Jouni Ovaska, the Centre Party chair of parliament's transport and communications committee and a known critic of the Turku project, and Joona Räsänen, a Social Democrat MP from Lohja who also chairs Lohja's municipal council.
A ministerial working group has criticised the project as not offering value for money, and Ovaska has demanded it be cancelled on those grounds.
The project was denied EU funding last week after the company set up to implement it asked for 176 million euros from the EU Commission.
Ovaska said that Finland's government should now understand that if the EU money taps remain closed, there's no point in completing the "senseless project".
He would instead use the money to improve the current road and rail network.
"If the government doesn't believe the opposition Centre Party, then hopefully the government will believe MP Jäntti, who is speaking up for [improvements to] the main line," said Ovaska.
Government wrangling
The Transport and Communications Minister Lulu Ranne (Finns) has also been critical of the plan. She told commercial TV channel MTV that it was a National Coalition Party project.
Ovaska agreed with that analysis.
"From within the Swedish People's Party the vice-chair has been very critical, and the Finns Party has also started to distance itself," said Ovaska.
"There's not much more than the National Coalition alone that is defending this project."
The current coalition comprises the National Coalition, the Finns Party, the Swedish People's Party and the Christian Democrats.
Jäntti, on the other hand, denied that the project was a special NCP issue. He also said it was important that municipalities along the route, which will be responsible for a big chunk of the costs, should have confidence that the state will honour its promises.
At present, the state is due to commit 400 million euros and municipalities on the route another 400 million euros.
Those municipalities are Turku, Espoo, Salo, Lohja, Vihti and Kirkkonummi.
29 July: Added cost estimate.
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