- Email: [email protected]
Scandinavian links
Scandinavian
links
Changing the pattern of urban growth and regional air traffic
Christian Wichmann Matthiessen Institute of Geography,
University
of Copenhagen,
Qster Voldgade
10, DK-1350
Copenhagen
K
The geography of South Scandinavia is undergoing rapid changes. Three large-scale infrastructural invcstmcnts, the new fixed links bctwccn the Scandinavian peninsula, the Danish islands and the European continent arc under construction or in the planning phase. They will substitute many ferry links and conccntratc road and rail traffic. The barriers of distance will be reduced. This article discusses the feasible growth of Copenhagen and focuses on the example of regional air traffic. The reduction of barriers and the opening up of new potentials will change the pattern of local air traffic considerably and crcatc a threat to most regional airports in Denmark and South Sweden. Keywords:
Accessibility,
infrastructure,
The 1992 European urban scene displays growth, decline, turbulence andchangingpotential (Matthiessen, 1992). The large urban agglomerations may acquire new and important roles as regional centres in a new ‘Europe of regions’ but will compete with each other. The economies of these cities are linked to national economies and politics but also depend on their own policies and local government (Berg et al, 1990; Klaassen et al, 1989). Figure 1 (based on the original work of the RECLUS group, Groupement d’Int&-&t Public RECLUS, 1989) shows that half of Europe’s metropolises are found in the European centre. In Northern Europe, Glasgow-Edinburgh, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Hamburg, Berlin, Warsaw and St Petersburg dominate, or plan to dominate, large areas and to play a leading role on the urban scene. At a lower level Helsinki, Oslo, Gothenburg, Bremen, Hanover, Nuremberg, Newcastle and Dublin are subdominant. Table 1 shows the population figures for the Scandinavian metropolitan centres. The North European metropolises are competitors and also compete to some degree with cities at the other levels in the urban hierarchy. Vertical competition is important, for example, in choosing new locations for companies and institutions. Horizontal competition between neighbours on the same level in the urban hierarchy affects, for example, airport catchment areas. Vertical and horizontal competition 096ti923/93/020119-06
@ 1993 Butterworth-Heinemann
urban change
have together created an interactive multilevel urban system in Western Europe in the second half of the 20th century (Strohmeier and Matthiessen, 1992). The urban system is interdependent and nonhierarchical for many functions. In Copenhagen, for instance, new growth potential has been created by, the decision to construct a link across the Strait of Oresund (the Sound) to Sweden. This should lead to greater organizational integration with the large urban centres of southern Sweden. In 1993 the Sound, and Sweden’s position outside the European Community (EC) create strong barriers. By the year 2001, both barriers may belong to history.
Southern
Scandinavia
in 1993
Geographically, South Scandinavia may be considered as a European crossroads. The Straits between the Baltic Sea and the open sea delimit the Danish islands and the peninsulas of Jutland and the south of Sweden. Sea-going traffic is intense, and is expected to increase as the East European nations catch up in international trade. Ferry lines crossing the straits connect the railway and motorway networks of Zeeland with their western Danish, German and Swedish counterparts (see Figure 2). Westwards from Zeeland to Funen and Jutland one railway ferry route together with eight car and pasenger ferry routes cross in 1 to 2% Ltd
119
Scandinavian
links:
C. W. Matthiesscn
L&l Cent re Figure
1. Europe
El- - -
199
1. Population Scandinavia (1989)
I: economic
and
Table
City
Population
Copenhagen Stockholm Oslo Gothcnburg
I I I
Source: TCAO
714 573 102 762
000 000 000 000
air
traffic
Periphery
geography and metropolitan
for
the
large
cities
of
No of airport passengers (embarking plus disembarking) (millions) International Total 0.1 6.1 2.5 I .h
Il.6 14.1 6.3 2.x
(1900)
hours (plus 15 minutes’ handling time, plus waiting time); 1.50 ferries depart every day each way. Between Zeeland and Germany, the large combined rail and car ferries handle most traffic. They cross in 1 hours (plus M to 1 hour’s handling time, plus waiting time). Together with other car ferries crossing 120
Metropole
I
I
l
Other large centre
ccntrcs
within 2 hours there are around 60 departures every day each way. Seven routes connect Zeeland with southern Sweden together presenting 250 daily departures each way. Between the central business districts of Copenhagen and Malmii, hydrofoils carry business and tourist traffic (40 minutes. 35 daily departures each way). Passengers arriving at Copcnhagcn Airport may continue to downtown Malmii by hovercraft (35 minutes. I1 daily departures). Railway ferries, car ferries. and combined rail and car ferries Icavc Greater Copenhagen for southern Sweden around 110 times a day (25 minutes for the shortest crossing at Elsinore). Small passenger ferries provide an additional 100 departures every day each way. In addition to the transport time, there are handling operations (almost none for passengers, 30 minutes for cars and trains) and waiting time. To complete the picture of ferry connections between Scandinavia and the European continent,
Scandinavian
Copenhagen
Motorway Railroad Ferry Urban
Figure
2. South
place
1991.
A&
---
.
. l
Figure
3. Copenhagen
bridge
situation
and
Note: Time distance indicated: = ferry services Scandinavian
links: C. W. Matthiessen
Malmii-Lund:
prc-
urban areas delimited;
and
post-
dotted lines
geography
Nofes: Distance measured as time; figures 2 to 6: one hour of time distance is approximately
90
km
there are also different direct routes between Sweden and Germany, and between Sweden and the Danish peninsula of Jutland (3 to 8 hours crossing, plus handling and waiting time).
The missing Scandinavian
links
Three of the Scandinavian straits lack fixed links: ‘the Great Belt’ between the islands of Zeeland and the island of Funen (Funen is linked to the European continent by bridges); ‘the Sound’ between Zeeland and Sweden; ‘the Fehmarnbelt’ between Zeeland and the German island of Fehmarn (Fehmarn is linked to the European continent by a bridge). Each of the straits is about 18 km wide. While the Great Belt is a time and price barrier, the two other straits function as national borders with different languages, cultures and economies on either side. The Sound forms the EC border and hampers the integration of the Danish capital (Copenhagen, 1.7 million inhabitants) and the MalmoLund agglomeration (0.5 million inhabitants) in Sweden (Figure 3). ‘The Great Belt Road and Rail Link’ is under construction and should be open to traffic by 1998. ‘A Sound Road and Rail Link’ agreement has been Journal of Transport Geography
199.3 Volume I Number 2
signed by the Danish and Swedish governments. It should be open by the year 2001. ‘The Fehmarnbelt Link’ is being discussed at government level between Denmark, Germany and Sweden. The Sound
Link:
effectuating
changes
in rank
Copenhagen is the 32nd city in Europe (including European Russia) in terms of the size of its agglomerated population, 16th in terms of its gross agglomeration product, and just makes the top-ten list of cities for creativity (knowledge, culture and communication: innovations). Copenhagen is the sixth most important city in Europe in terms of international air-passsenger traffic. The Swedish and Danish towns within 50 km of Copenhagen Airport together form one of the five largest European agglomerations in terms of science citations (Andersson and Stromquist, 1989) and one of the major population concentrations in northern Europe, number 20 on the European list. Copenhagen, Malmo and Lund are high-income cities compared with the European average and the combined Sound conurbation ranks eighth in terms of its gross agglomeration product. The international air-passenger traffic departing from the airports of Malmo and Copenhagen together rank sixth in Europe. 121
Scandinavian links: C. W. Matthiessen
The Sound Link: Copenhagen
realizing
new growth
potential
for
The Sound Link will change the potential for growth for the new Copenhagen-Malmii-Lund conurbation. Copenhagen is the capita1 of Denmark, a country with 5 million inhabitants. At the turn of the century, the new Danish-Swedish agglomeration could become the centre of South Scandinavia which has 8 to 9 million inhabitants, leading to large-scale changes in the dominance and hinterland patterns of Copenhagen and Stockholm, for example in the use of international airports. The fusion of Greater Copenhagen and the Malmii-Lund agglomeration will give the two hitherto non-interdependent urban economies access to further specializations and pave the way for a level of cooperation as yet hardly envisaged. New synergy will be an obvious consequence. This change in growth potential should lead to a new optimism, coupled with a rise in world interest due to the bridge construction itself. Large-scale engineering and construction is always of international interest, and a fusion of two urban agglomerations, which at present cooperate minimally, will be a world-class event. In many respects, Copenhagen and the other South Scandinavian centres are expected to increase their economic growth once the problem of the missing transport links between Scandinavia and the European continent is solved by: (1) fixed links, (2) Sweden becoming an EC member, and (3) the resulting integration of regional organization. The arguments are illustrated in Figure 4. Some of these arguments are longstanding. During the 1960s and 1970s the impact of bridging the Sound was actively discussed and a series of analyses were published, including contributions from geographers from the University of Lund (Tiirnqvist et al, 1978), who pointed out the potential of the impetus given to the sluggish economy of South Sweden by joining the international metropolis of Copenhagen but were pessimistic about the will to integrate and cooperate in the area. Now that the decision about bridging the Sound has been taken, metropolitan competition between Copenhagen and Stockholm is discussed openly. This issue was well ventilated by international observers but somewhat glossed over in the Scandinavian discussion, although it probably played a role in the decision in the 1970s not to construct the Sound crossing. Copenhagen Airport is at present the most important European international hub airport north of Frankfurt and Amsterdam. It is located on the very edge of the two major tributary areas (Scandinavia and northern Germany). Its potential as gateway to the northern parts of the East European market is considered to be a major growth factor which can only be enhanced by the elimination of the Sound barrier and the EC frontier.
122
Hinterland
--___ -
First
--
Second
Figure 4. South Scandinavia role of Copcnhagcn hinterland
illustrated
IYY
boundary
level networks level
networks
I and 2001: the changing
by transport
networks
and
boundaries
Pattern of regional air traffic The dramatic change in accessibility represents a growth potential for Greater Copenhagen and thus for the function of its large international airport. Reduction of barriers and opening of new potentials will also change the pattern of local air traffic considerably. It is a paradox that this creates a threat to most regional airports in Denmark and South Sweden. The regional airports of Denmark and South Sweden play different roles in the passenger transport pattern. They serve feeder traffic into large
Scandinavian
airports. they offer a traffic platform for fast city-tocity transport, and some are centres for charter traffic. Within Denmark, there is dense domestic air traffic between Copenhagen and nine regional airports with 70 daily connections. The sum of departing passengers from the nine regional airports to Copenhagen was 1.2 million in 1990. Two regional airports carry little traffic, whilst Ronne is located on the small Baltic island of Bornholm. However, the six other regional airports serve nearby urban centres of a size from 50 000 to 200 000 inhabitants, with between seven and I1 daily connections to Copenhagen. Centre-to-centre time is around two hours and the regular one-way fare (including ground transport) is around Dkr 700 almost irrespective of destination. The road and rail distance, including ferries, varies between three and seven hours according to the destination. One-way train tickets are priced according to the time-distance and vary between Dkr I50 and 300 second class. The situation after the opening of ‘The Great Belt Fixed Link’ will change the pattern. City centre to city centre journeys by rail will be faster than or equal to air transport for most of the connections. Rail will also be cheaper. Only Aalborg and Ronne will still give faster access to Copenhagen city by air. The same will be the case for access by train to Copenhagen Airport after the opening of the planned railway station on the national network within Copenhagen Airport. This is expected to be in operation in 1997 as a first phase of the establishment of the Sound Link which is planned to reach land at Copenhagen Airport. The situation after the establishment of the Sound fixed link (and Swedish membership of the EC) may well alter the patterns of traffic in south Sweden in the same way as foreseen with the Great Belt fixed link in Denmark. Many short-distance flights connect south Swedish airports to Copenhagen but the traffic is not as dense as the domestic Danish traffic. From the city centre of Malmo a hovercraft service also gives direct access to the international air networks out of Copenhagen (300 000 departing pasengers per year). Check-in time to international routes via hovercraft is l’/~ hours and a one-way ticket is Dkr 300. The hovercraft service is, however, vulnerable to sea-ice in winter and to winds of more than 30 knots. The South Swedish airports are currently more closely connected to Stockholm than to Copenhagen, although the distances are longer. Nevertheless there are 40 daily links between Copenhagen and nine south Swedish airports. Some of them also have international scheduled flights to destinations other than via Copenhagen. Traffic at the regional airports of Southern Scandinavia is presented in Table 2, and shortdistance feeder lines into Copenhagen airport are indicated in Figure 5. Joclmul of Transport Geography 199.3 Volume I Number 2
links: C. W. Matthiessen
Table 2. South Scandinavian regional passengers per year (above 75 000)
Charter
Total
airports:
departing
Estimates of urban population in hinterland
Denmark 477 34Y 25.5 15x Y7 Y7
Billund Aarhus Aalborg Karllp Odense Esbjcrg Rtinnc
247 302
Visby ,&ngelholm JiinkOping Kalmar Rdnneby Vhxjii Halmstad Kristianstad
200 000 400 000 200 000
I so 000 200 000
I so 000 20 000
92 x02
South Sweden Gothenburg MalmB
Sources:
752 516 378 5’)s SO0 h68
I 361 530 628 761 221 189 IYI 454 IS9 923 114334 I07 664 I06 672 93 851 84 704
320 IhS 197 227
Statcns Lufthavnsvasen
(IYYI).
700 500 40 200 I so 100 40 I00 I00 70
000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000
Sveriges Statistik (1990).
COPENHAGEN LOCAL FEEDER LINE **
HOVERCRAFT
t
HELICOPTER
NO. OF DAILY ROUNDTRI
Figure
5.
fccdcr
Short-distance
lines into Copenhagen
airport 1991 Notes: No wrface
of daily round transport time
New accessibility:
trips indicated;
distance
mcasurcd
as
a threat to regional air traffic
Following the dramatic changes in South Scandinavian geography, a major decrease in traffic at regional airports inside the new ‘shadow’ or ‘black belt’ around Copenhagen is foreseen. Few Danish domestic airports are likely to operate at the present level. In Sweden, the pattern may change in a similar way as far as traffic to Copenhagen is concerned, but links between the domestic airports and Stockholm will survive at a lower level due to national contact demand and to the fact that distances between urban 123
Scandinavian
links:
C. W. Matthiessen
n
are great in Sweden (Malmii to Stockholm: 620 km). The changes in accessibility are illustrated by the diagrams in Figure 6.
centres
References A.E. and Stromquist, U. (lY8Y) The emrrging Stockholm: Prisma Berg. L.v.d.. Klaascn. L.H. and Mccr, J.v.d. (IYYO) Marketing Metropolitan Regions. Rottcrdam: Erasmus University Groupcmcnt d’IntCret Public RECLUS (lY89) Les villes ‘EuropPenne.s’, Montpcllicr: La Documentation Franqaisc ICAO (1990) Civil aviation .statistics ofthe world. Ycwhook lY89, London: ICAO Klaassen, L.H., Berg. L.v.d. and Mccr, J.v.d., (4s) (IYXY) The city: engine behind economic recovery. Aldcrshot: Avcbury Matthicssen, C.W. (1002) ‘Europe 1001: mctropolcs and capitals’, Geografisk Tidsskrift, 02. pp. 3Y37 Statcns Lufthavnsvzscn (IYY I) Stutistik over !uJ;TJurt?iaktiviteter 1990, Copcnhagcn: Statens Lufthavnsvascn Strohmcier, K.P. and Matthicsscn. C.W. (cds) (1902) Andersson.
C’-society,
*
HELICOPTER
++
‘-“-o
HOVERCRAFT
Figure 6. Diagrams of local fccdcr lines into Copenhagen airport: distance before and after eliminating the south Scandinavian missing links Note: Distance mcasurcd as surface transport lime
124
Innovation uncl urban population level process, Aldershot: Aycbury Svcrigcs Statistik (19%)) Arsbok
dynamics.
A mnlti-
IYM), Stockholm: Sverigcs Statistik Tornqvist, G. et al (1078) iiresundsfiirhindelser. Stockholm: Statcns Offcntliga utrcdningar
Journul
of Transport Geography I993 Volume I Number 2
links
Changing the pattern of urban growth and regional air traffic
Christian Wichmann Matthiessen Institute of Geography,
University
of Copenhagen,
Qster Voldgade
10, DK-1350
Copenhagen
K
The geography of South Scandinavia is undergoing rapid changes. Three large-scale infrastructural invcstmcnts, the new fixed links bctwccn the Scandinavian peninsula, the Danish islands and the European continent arc under construction or in the planning phase. They will substitute many ferry links and conccntratc road and rail traffic. The barriers of distance will be reduced. This article discusses the feasible growth of Copenhagen and focuses on the example of regional air traffic. The reduction of barriers and the opening up of new potentials will change the pattern of local air traffic considerably and crcatc a threat to most regional airports in Denmark and South Sweden. Keywords:
Accessibility,
infrastructure,
The 1992 European urban scene displays growth, decline, turbulence andchangingpotential (Matthiessen, 1992). The large urban agglomerations may acquire new and important roles as regional centres in a new ‘Europe of regions’ but will compete with each other. The economies of these cities are linked to national economies and politics but also depend on their own policies and local government (Berg et al, 1990; Klaassen et al, 1989). Figure 1 (based on the original work of the RECLUS group, Groupement d’Int&-&t Public RECLUS, 1989) shows that half of Europe’s metropolises are found in the European centre. In Northern Europe, Glasgow-Edinburgh, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Hamburg, Berlin, Warsaw and St Petersburg dominate, or plan to dominate, large areas and to play a leading role on the urban scene. At a lower level Helsinki, Oslo, Gothenburg, Bremen, Hanover, Nuremberg, Newcastle and Dublin are subdominant. Table 1 shows the population figures for the Scandinavian metropolitan centres. The North European metropolises are competitors and also compete to some degree with cities at the other levels in the urban hierarchy. Vertical competition is important, for example, in choosing new locations for companies and institutions. Horizontal competition between neighbours on the same level in the urban hierarchy affects, for example, airport catchment areas. Vertical and horizontal competition 096ti923/93/020119-06
@ 1993 Butterworth-Heinemann
urban change
have together created an interactive multilevel urban system in Western Europe in the second half of the 20th century (Strohmeier and Matthiessen, 1992). The urban system is interdependent and nonhierarchical for many functions. In Copenhagen, for instance, new growth potential has been created by, the decision to construct a link across the Strait of Oresund (the Sound) to Sweden. This should lead to greater organizational integration with the large urban centres of southern Sweden. In 1993 the Sound, and Sweden’s position outside the European Community (EC) create strong barriers. By the year 2001, both barriers may belong to history.
Southern
Scandinavia
in 1993
Geographically, South Scandinavia may be considered as a European crossroads. The Straits between the Baltic Sea and the open sea delimit the Danish islands and the peninsulas of Jutland and the south of Sweden. Sea-going traffic is intense, and is expected to increase as the East European nations catch up in international trade. Ferry lines crossing the straits connect the railway and motorway networks of Zeeland with their western Danish, German and Swedish counterparts (see Figure 2). Westwards from Zeeland to Funen and Jutland one railway ferry route together with eight car and pasenger ferry routes cross in 1 to 2% Ltd
119
Scandinavian
links:
C. W. Matthiesscn
L&l Cent re Figure
1. Europe
El- - -
199
1. Population Scandinavia (1989)
I: economic
and
Table
City
Population
Copenhagen Stockholm Oslo Gothcnburg
I I I
Source: TCAO
714 573 102 762
000 000 000 000
air
traffic
Periphery
geography and metropolitan
for
the
large
cities
of
No of airport passengers (embarking plus disembarking) (millions) International Total 0.1 6.1 2.5 I .h
Il.6 14.1 6.3 2.x
(1900)
hours (plus 15 minutes’ handling time, plus waiting time); 1.50 ferries depart every day each way. Between Zeeland and Germany, the large combined rail and car ferries handle most traffic. They cross in 1 hours (plus M to 1 hour’s handling time, plus waiting time). Together with other car ferries crossing 120
Metropole
I
I
l
Other large centre
ccntrcs
within 2 hours there are around 60 departures every day each way. Seven routes connect Zeeland with southern Sweden together presenting 250 daily departures each way. Between the central business districts of Copenhagen and Malmii, hydrofoils carry business and tourist traffic (40 minutes. 35 daily departures each way). Passengers arriving at Copcnhagcn Airport may continue to downtown Malmii by hovercraft (35 minutes. I1 daily departures). Railway ferries, car ferries. and combined rail and car ferries Icavc Greater Copenhagen for southern Sweden around 110 times a day (25 minutes for the shortest crossing at Elsinore). Small passenger ferries provide an additional 100 departures every day each way. In addition to the transport time, there are handling operations (almost none for passengers, 30 minutes for cars and trains) and waiting time. To complete the picture of ferry connections between Scandinavia and the European continent,
Scandinavian
Copenhagen
Motorway Railroad Ferry Urban
Figure
2. South
place
1991.
A&
---
.
. l
Figure
3. Copenhagen
bridge
situation
and
Note: Time distance indicated: = ferry services Scandinavian
links: C. W. Matthiessen
Malmii-Lund:
prc-
urban areas delimited;
and
post-
dotted lines
geography
Nofes: Distance measured as time; figures 2 to 6: one hour of time distance is approximately
90
km
there are also different direct routes between Sweden and Germany, and between Sweden and the Danish peninsula of Jutland (3 to 8 hours crossing, plus handling and waiting time).
The missing Scandinavian
links
Three of the Scandinavian straits lack fixed links: ‘the Great Belt’ between the islands of Zeeland and the island of Funen (Funen is linked to the European continent by bridges); ‘the Sound’ between Zeeland and Sweden; ‘the Fehmarnbelt’ between Zeeland and the German island of Fehmarn (Fehmarn is linked to the European continent by a bridge). Each of the straits is about 18 km wide. While the Great Belt is a time and price barrier, the two other straits function as national borders with different languages, cultures and economies on either side. The Sound forms the EC border and hampers the integration of the Danish capital (Copenhagen, 1.7 million inhabitants) and the MalmoLund agglomeration (0.5 million inhabitants) in Sweden (Figure 3). ‘The Great Belt Road and Rail Link’ is under construction and should be open to traffic by 1998. ‘A Sound Road and Rail Link’ agreement has been Journal of Transport Geography
199.3 Volume I Number 2
signed by the Danish and Swedish governments. It should be open by the year 2001. ‘The Fehmarnbelt Link’ is being discussed at government level between Denmark, Germany and Sweden. The Sound
Link:
effectuating
changes
in rank
Copenhagen is the 32nd city in Europe (including European Russia) in terms of the size of its agglomerated population, 16th in terms of its gross agglomeration product, and just makes the top-ten list of cities for creativity (knowledge, culture and communication: innovations). Copenhagen is the sixth most important city in Europe in terms of international air-passsenger traffic. The Swedish and Danish towns within 50 km of Copenhagen Airport together form one of the five largest European agglomerations in terms of science citations (Andersson and Stromquist, 1989) and one of the major population concentrations in northern Europe, number 20 on the European list. Copenhagen, Malmo and Lund are high-income cities compared with the European average and the combined Sound conurbation ranks eighth in terms of its gross agglomeration product. The international air-passenger traffic departing from the airports of Malmo and Copenhagen together rank sixth in Europe. 121
Scandinavian links: C. W. Matthiessen
The Sound Link: Copenhagen
realizing
new growth
potential
for
The Sound Link will change the potential for growth for the new Copenhagen-Malmii-Lund conurbation. Copenhagen is the capita1 of Denmark, a country with 5 million inhabitants. At the turn of the century, the new Danish-Swedish agglomeration could become the centre of South Scandinavia which has 8 to 9 million inhabitants, leading to large-scale changes in the dominance and hinterland patterns of Copenhagen and Stockholm, for example in the use of international airports. The fusion of Greater Copenhagen and the Malmii-Lund agglomeration will give the two hitherto non-interdependent urban economies access to further specializations and pave the way for a level of cooperation as yet hardly envisaged. New synergy will be an obvious consequence. This change in growth potential should lead to a new optimism, coupled with a rise in world interest due to the bridge construction itself. Large-scale engineering and construction is always of international interest, and a fusion of two urban agglomerations, which at present cooperate minimally, will be a world-class event. In many respects, Copenhagen and the other South Scandinavian centres are expected to increase their economic growth once the problem of the missing transport links between Scandinavia and the European continent is solved by: (1) fixed links, (2) Sweden becoming an EC member, and (3) the resulting integration of regional organization. The arguments are illustrated in Figure 4. Some of these arguments are longstanding. During the 1960s and 1970s the impact of bridging the Sound was actively discussed and a series of analyses were published, including contributions from geographers from the University of Lund (Tiirnqvist et al, 1978), who pointed out the potential of the impetus given to the sluggish economy of South Sweden by joining the international metropolis of Copenhagen but were pessimistic about the will to integrate and cooperate in the area. Now that the decision about bridging the Sound has been taken, metropolitan competition between Copenhagen and Stockholm is discussed openly. This issue was well ventilated by international observers but somewhat glossed over in the Scandinavian discussion, although it probably played a role in the decision in the 1970s not to construct the Sound crossing. Copenhagen Airport is at present the most important European international hub airport north of Frankfurt and Amsterdam. It is located on the very edge of the two major tributary areas (Scandinavia and northern Germany). Its potential as gateway to the northern parts of the East European market is considered to be a major growth factor which can only be enhanced by the elimination of the Sound barrier and the EC frontier.
122
Hinterland
--___ -
First
--
Second
Figure 4. South Scandinavia role of Copcnhagcn hinterland
illustrated
IYY
boundary
level networks level
networks
I and 2001: the changing
by transport
networks
and
boundaries
Pattern of regional air traffic The dramatic change in accessibility represents a growth potential for Greater Copenhagen and thus for the function of its large international airport. Reduction of barriers and opening of new potentials will also change the pattern of local air traffic considerably. It is a paradox that this creates a threat to most regional airports in Denmark and South Sweden. The regional airports of Denmark and South Sweden play different roles in the passenger transport pattern. They serve feeder traffic into large
Scandinavian
airports. they offer a traffic platform for fast city-tocity transport, and some are centres for charter traffic. Within Denmark, there is dense domestic air traffic between Copenhagen and nine regional airports with 70 daily connections. The sum of departing passengers from the nine regional airports to Copenhagen was 1.2 million in 1990. Two regional airports carry little traffic, whilst Ronne is located on the small Baltic island of Bornholm. However, the six other regional airports serve nearby urban centres of a size from 50 000 to 200 000 inhabitants, with between seven and I1 daily connections to Copenhagen. Centre-to-centre time is around two hours and the regular one-way fare (including ground transport) is around Dkr 700 almost irrespective of destination. The road and rail distance, including ferries, varies between three and seven hours according to the destination. One-way train tickets are priced according to the time-distance and vary between Dkr I50 and 300 second class. The situation after the opening of ‘The Great Belt Fixed Link’ will change the pattern. City centre to city centre journeys by rail will be faster than or equal to air transport for most of the connections. Rail will also be cheaper. Only Aalborg and Ronne will still give faster access to Copenhagen city by air. The same will be the case for access by train to Copenhagen Airport after the opening of the planned railway station on the national network within Copenhagen Airport. This is expected to be in operation in 1997 as a first phase of the establishment of the Sound Link which is planned to reach land at Copenhagen Airport. The situation after the establishment of the Sound fixed link (and Swedish membership of the EC) may well alter the patterns of traffic in south Sweden in the same way as foreseen with the Great Belt fixed link in Denmark. Many short-distance flights connect south Swedish airports to Copenhagen but the traffic is not as dense as the domestic Danish traffic. From the city centre of Malmo a hovercraft service also gives direct access to the international air networks out of Copenhagen (300 000 departing pasengers per year). Check-in time to international routes via hovercraft is l’/~ hours and a one-way ticket is Dkr 300. The hovercraft service is, however, vulnerable to sea-ice in winter and to winds of more than 30 knots. The South Swedish airports are currently more closely connected to Stockholm than to Copenhagen, although the distances are longer. Nevertheless there are 40 daily links between Copenhagen and nine south Swedish airports. Some of them also have international scheduled flights to destinations other than via Copenhagen. Traffic at the regional airports of Southern Scandinavia is presented in Table 2, and shortdistance feeder lines into Copenhagen airport are indicated in Figure 5. Joclmul of Transport Geography 199.3 Volume I Number 2
links: C. W. Matthiessen
Table 2. South Scandinavian regional passengers per year (above 75 000)
Charter
Total
airports:
departing
Estimates of urban population in hinterland
Denmark 477 34Y 25.5 15x Y7 Y7
Billund Aarhus Aalborg Karllp Odense Esbjcrg Rtinnc
247 302
Visby ,&ngelholm JiinkOping Kalmar Rdnneby Vhxjii Halmstad Kristianstad
200 000 400 000 200 000
I so 000 200 000
I so 000 20 000
92 x02
South Sweden Gothenburg MalmB
Sources:
752 516 378 5’)s SO0 h68
I 361 530 628 761 221 189 IYI 454 IS9 923 114334 I07 664 I06 672 93 851 84 704
320 IhS 197 227
Statcns Lufthavnsvasen
(IYYI).
700 500 40 200 I so 100 40 I00 I00 70
000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000
Sveriges Statistik (1990).
COPENHAGEN LOCAL FEEDER LINE **
HOVERCRAFT
t
HELICOPTER
NO. OF DAILY ROUNDTRI
Figure
5.
fccdcr
Short-distance
lines into Copenhagen
airport 1991 Notes: No wrface
of daily round transport time
New accessibility:
trips indicated;
distance
mcasurcd
as
a threat to regional air traffic
Following the dramatic changes in South Scandinavian geography, a major decrease in traffic at regional airports inside the new ‘shadow’ or ‘black belt’ around Copenhagen is foreseen. Few Danish domestic airports are likely to operate at the present level. In Sweden, the pattern may change in a similar way as far as traffic to Copenhagen is concerned, but links between the domestic airports and Stockholm will survive at a lower level due to national contact demand and to the fact that distances between urban 123
Scandinavian
links:
C. W. Matthiessen
n
are great in Sweden (Malmii to Stockholm: 620 km). The changes in accessibility are illustrated by the diagrams in Figure 6.
centres
References A.E. and Stromquist, U. (lY8Y) The emrrging Stockholm: Prisma Berg. L.v.d.. Klaascn. L.H. and Mccr, J.v.d. (IYYO) Marketing Metropolitan Regions. Rottcrdam: Erasmus University Groupcmcnt d’IntCret Public RECLUS (lY89) Les villes ‘EuropPenne.s’, Montpcllicr: La Documentation Franqaisc ICAO (1990) Civil aviation .statistics ofthe world. Ycwhook lY89, London: ICAO Klaassen, L.H., Berg. L.v.d. and Mccr, J.v.d., (4s) (IYXY) The city: engine behind economic recovery. Aldcrshot: Avcbury Matthicssen, C.W. (1002) ‘Europe 1001: mctropolcs and capitals’, Geografisk Tidsskrift, 02. pp. 3Y37 Statcns Lufthavnsvzscn (IYY I) Stutistik over !uJ;TJurt?iaktiviteter 1990, Copcnhagcn: Statens Lufthavnsvascn Strohmcier, K.P. and Matthicsscn. C.W. (cds) (1902) Andersson.
C’-society,
*
HELICOPTER
++
‘-“-o
HOVERCRAFT
Figure 6. Diagrams of local fccdcr lines into Copenhagen airport: distance before and after eliminating the south Scandinavian missing links Note: Distance mcasurcd as surface transport lime
124
Innovation uncl urban population level process, Aldershot: Aycbury Svcrigcs Statistik (19%)) Arsbok
dynamics.
A mnlti-
IYM), Stockholm: Sverigcs Statistik Tornqvist, G. et al (1078) iiresundsfiirhindelser. Stockholm: Statcns Offcntliga utrcdningar
Journul
of Transport Geography I993 Volume I Number 2