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TELL US: What is it like to cycle in Norway?

A survey from Trygg Trafikk has revealed that cyclists have a hard time with negligent drivers. So whether you cycle to work or for fun, we want to hear your views on what cycling in Norway is like.

Published: 19 July 2022 15:49 CEST
Updated: 22 July 2022 15:36 CEST

Tell us: What's it like to cycle in Norway.

Tell us: What's it like to cycle in Norway. Pictured is someone on a a bike in Frogner. Photo by Nick Night on Unsplash

Cyclists in Norway often have trouble with drivers not paying attention to their surroundings, with a high level of animosity between those on bikes and motorists reported as an issue in a survey by Trygg Trafikk and Tryg Forsikring.

Almost half said they felt that motorists aren’t paying enough attention to the road, and over a quarter has said they had come into conflict with drivers within the previous five years.

Is cycling in Norway really that bad, or is it a relatively easy place to get around on a bike? Whether you use a bike to get around town, work, or have fun at weekends, we want to hear your thoughts.

Please take a couple of minutes to fill out the survey below, and we’ll try and use the best answers in a future article.

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Potential bankruptcy threatens bus services in Oslo

Unibuss, which is wholly owned by Oslo Municipality, is in danger of going bust due to large losses, unpaid bills, and fines from public transport firm Ruter for issues with its electric bus fleet this winter.

Oslo City Council will hold an emergency meeting headed up by transport councilor Marit Vea on Wednesday, where she will be grilled on how the council will avert a collapse in the city’s public transport network should Unibuss go bankrupt.

Unibuss is comprised of four smaller companies that operate bus routes in Oslo on behalf of Ruter. The company has just over 370 buses in operation and covers around 60 to 70 percent of the routes in Oslo and the neighboring municipality of Bærum.

Oslo’s fleet of electric busses struggled especially with snow and cold temperatures this winter, which caused frequent chaos across the capital’s public transport network.

Snow, ice, range and charging issues for the busses lead to vehicle shortages which caused mass delays and cancellations several times over the winter.

Ruter, which is also part owned by Oslo municipality, believes that the financial problems facing Unibuss mean the company could be forced to file for bankruptcy or undergo a major restructuring, according to a memo obtained by publication Teknisk Ukeblad.

It has previously told public broadcaster that it was working on a plan in case Unibuss goes bankrupt.

“There is no doubt that the first days of such a scenario will be very demanding for the residents of Oslo and parts of Akershus,” Ruter’s communications director Elisabeth Skarsbø Moen told public broadcaster NRK.

“First and foremost, we are working to find a solution together with Unibuss that does not affect Ruter’s customers,” she said.

“But as those responsible for public transport, we have both a plan and an emergency organization ready to also handle a bankruptcy,” Skarsbø Moen added.

Should Unibuss go bankrupt, its buses would become part of the bankruptcy estate and if such an event were to occur while passengers were in transit, all passengers would need to disembark at the next stop so the buses can be transported to the depot.

Ruter said it had an eye on the market to try and see what could be available in terms of extra buses and equipment.

It said that its priority would be to ensure that school transport, and that healthcare workers could get to work, in the event of a sudden lack of buses.

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