The government alliance representatives on the Parliamentary Committee on Transport and Communications are currently touring the mines. Recently they visited the Northland mine project in Kaunisvaara and were given a presentation by Northland Director of Corporate Communications Jonas Lundström.
The deputy chair of the committee, Moderate party member Jan-Evert Rådhström compared developments in Pajala with the building rush in China.

”After what I heard here and when I stood there on the hill overlooking the mine area I got the same feeling as when I recently visited China and saw the enormous rate of construction there.”

The rapid progress in this region is upending previously set infrastructure plans.

”Quite clearly we need to to look at how we can meet the new conditions in this area,” says Rådhström, who also praises the different parties in Pajala for the exemplary way they are collaborating to handle different difficulties.

As regards the transport solution for Northland iron ore concentrates, in addition to improvements to existing roads, Arnold Vonkavaara, CEO for Swedish Transport Administration Northern Region recommends building a road linking Kaunisvaara and Junosuando. This will shorten the route to Svappavaara, as well as avoiding seven villages, which will be spared the heavy through-traffic.
In his opinion, this is the best solution in the short and medium term. In the long term however, he recommends a railway. The message of his presentation to the Committee on Transport and Communications was that despite considerably higher costs than for road improvements, a railway brings economic gains.

He said that the Swedish Transport Administration is starting a preliminary study of a railway solution. It is too early to say what it will leed to, but if its conclusion is that that is what needs to be done, and if financing is made available, then the railway can be completed in 10 years.

As regards the connecting road that Vonkavaara spoke of, it can be built with private financing in collaboration between Northland, Peab, Svevia, Svea Skog, Pajala Municipality and PUAB, (Pajala business development agency).  Anders Lundberg  at  Vectura has been commissioned to study the conditions for such a solution. Whether the road will be public or private will be decided at a later stage.

The Committee on Transport and Communications is also travelling to Kiruna to study the mining operations at LKAB. As regards the Ore Line, Arnold Vonkavaara says that a double track is required to meet the needs by 2015, when Northland too reaches full production.
The members of the Committee on Transport and Communications  who visited Pajala: Jan-Evert Rådhström, Christer Akej, Edip Noyan, Edward Riedl, Lotta Finstorp, Malin Löfsjögård (all Moderate Party), Göran Lindell, Anders Åkesson (both Centre Party), Annelie Enochson  (Christian Democrats).