Pågatåg Nordost - en kvalitativ undersökning av effekterna av en infrastruktursatsning

Sammanfattning: The growth in Scania is expected to increase by developing Scania’s polycentric structure and create regional expansion. This regional expansion will be developed partly by investments in infrastructure, which are expected to generate better accessibility. The aim of this essay is to investigate a specific train investment in north-eastern Scania, Pågatåg Nordost, and its impacts on development and accessibility in north-eastern Scania. The main focus is on two villages, Önnestad and Vittsjö, which have received train service through Pågatåg Nordost. The theoretical framework consists of theoretic visions about polycentrism, regional development and accessibility. The empirical data are based on documents from concerned operators and complementary interviews. Today there are differences between the eastern and western parts of Scania, where the western parts have a more positive development and also a faster population growth. This study shows that there is a desire from the involved parts to integrate the north-eastern part of Scania with the rest of the region in a better way. The infrastructure project Pågatåg Nordost is seen as part of accomplishing this. Pågatåg Nordost was finished in 2014 and it is therefore not yet possible to see the full effects of the project. The project is never the less expected to be a part of the development that will lead to regional expansion and a more integrated region. In the issue of accessibility one change is already visible; the local accessibility has become worse but the regional accessibility has been improved.