Throughout history, it has not been uncommon for a person from Norrland to hold the position of communications or infrastructure minister. For example, Gösta Skoglund from Umeå served as communications minister from 1957 to 1965, Curt Boström from Piteå led the department from 1982 to 1985, Georg Andersson with strong ties to both Norrbotten and Västerbotten was in charge of communications from 1989 to 1991, and Ulrica Messing from Gävle held the position of infrastructure minister from 2000 to 2006.
This dominance of Norrland with this ministerial post is likely due to the fact that access to roads, railways, bridges, and ports is especially important in a region with vast distances and sparse population but also a number of heavy export industries such as forestry, steel, and ore, among others. Simply put, a minister with an ear to the ground and an understanding of the needs of the north is necessary.
However, in today's government, a person from Småland, the most southern region of Sweden, handles the infrastructure issues. Kristdemokraten Andreas Carlson, born and raised in Nykyrka parish in Jönköping county, has held the position of both infrastructure and housing minister since October 18th, 2022.
So far, the intentions expressed by the Småland-native Carlson are promising. In a Dagens Industri op-ed on January 13th, he and a few other government officials pointed out the need for a strategy to promote new green industrialization in northern Sweden.
They emphasized the significant need for "strengthening the road network and railway infrastructure," and stated that "the government intends to return to these strategic investments."
During his visit to the Järnvägsforum Norr in Luleå on March 31st, the infrastructure minister announced that the government has tasked the Swedish Transport Administration with reviewing the projects in the national infrastructure plan to see if they can be expedited and with "special focus on expansion in the north."
"We will investigate the opportunities for co-financing and expedite implementation of these measures through advanced payment," Carlson told conference attendees, a statement that received applause.
These are welcome signals from the government. Companies such as LKAB, SSAB, H2 Green Steel, Northvolt, Kaunis Iron, and others are already investing heavily in the region, resulting in rapidly increasing needs for freight transport.
Therefore, investment in both the Norrbotniabanan and Malmbanan rail lines and other infrastructure is necessary for what is produced in northern Sweden to be exported and shipped to customers around the world.
If it doesn't work out - if there are bottlenecks in the transport network, poor maintenance, and other infrastructure deficiencies - Sweden risks losing both jobs and export income while also slowing down the green transition, which is detrimental to us all.
The Swedish Transport Administration will report the results of its review to the government by September 15th of this year, which can be considered expedient in this context. But then, it is up to Carlson and the government to act quickly and decisively. That is when the real work begins.
Political intentions and well-meaning statements about infrastructure investments in northern Sweden are not enough. In the end, it's about concrete results and real impact on the ground.
