The City Council of Espoo voted late Monday night in favour of an extension of the Helsinki Metro system as the future main framework for public transit for the south of Espoo.
After six hours of debate, the vote in the council was 45 to 19, with the losing side favouring the further development of the existing bus system. There were also calls for an urban light rail system as an alternative to the Metro.
The winning proposal stipulated 12 conditions for the construction of the Espoo Metro, including a 30 percent state subsidy for the system.
Under current plans, the first extension of the Metro will be from Ruoholahti in the west of Helsinki via the Helsinki island of Lauttasaari, to Otaniemi, Tapiola, and Matinkylä in Espoo. Council members also said that eventually the system should extend further west to Kivenlahti.
Other conditions that were set included supplementing the Metro with urban rail connections to ease internal transport within Espoo, certain road improvements, and shifting public transport planning for the whole greater Helsinki region under the authority of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council (YTV).
Minister of Transport and Communications Susanna Huovinen (SDP) said on Monday night that she was pleased about the decision. She promised to take up the issue of the state subsidy with the government’s Ministerial Committee on Economic Policy.
