Society's preparedness for transport disruptions

Transport is important to society and involves many actors. Here you can read more about the responsibilities of authorities and other actors in the event of transport and traffic disruptions.
Updated

Local authorities

Municipalities

The municipality (kommunen) is ultimately responsible for ensuring that those who live, work or visit the municipality receive the support and assistance they need. It is the municipal emergency services that are primarily responsible for rescue work in the event of accidents on roads and railways. The municipal rescue service is also responsible for rescue services at sea in relation to harbours, canals and shorelines.   

 

At the regional level

County administrative boards

The county administrative boards (Länsstyrelsen) must ensure that cooperation between authorities, municipalities and other actors within the county works before, during and after a crisis. This may involve supporting management, communication and the allocation of resources in the event of a major accident involving dangerous goods that affects several municipalities in a county.

 

Police authorities

The Police (Polisen) are responsible for road safety through preventive checks and supervision. Road safety work is part of the police's regular crime prevention work. Traffic surveillance detects, for example, speeding, drunk driving and seat belt offences. Some police officers are tasked with focusing on commercial traffic and safety, such as issues related to licences, driving time and rest periods, securing loads, vehicle safety, dangerous goods, weight and dimensions.

 

At the national level

The Swedish Energy Agency

In the event of a major oil shortage, there is a high risk of a shortage of fossil fuels and propellants, such as diesel and petrol. The Swedish Energy Agency (Energimyndigheten) is tasked by the government with creating the conditions for a functioning fuel and propellant supply.

 

The Coast Guard

The Coast Guard (Kustbevakningen) is responsible for maritime surveillance and rescue services at sea. They have a high level of preparedness for sea rescue in order to save human lives.

The Coast Guard is responsible for oil spill response in Swedish waters and supervises dangerous goods in the land area of ports that are intended for onward transport. They also supervise certain maritime transport of dangerous goods.

 

Swedish Civil Aviation Administration

The Swedish Civil Aviation Administration (Luftfartsverket, LFV) manages air traffic in Swedish airspace. Air traffic controllers ensure that aircraft do not collide and that no other accidents occur in the air or on the ground.

 

Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency 

The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (Myndigheten för samhällsskydd och beredskap or MSB) is the transport authority for the transport of dangerous goods by road and rail. Being a transport authority means that MSB works to prevent and limit accidents in connection with the transport of dangerous goods by land.

MSB develops and issues rules for the transport of dangerous goods by road and rail. The MSB is also responsible for examining drivers and safety advisers. In addition, MSB supervises safety advisers for all modes of transport, transportable pressure equipment and transport protection.

Swedish Maritime Administration

The Swedish Maritime Administration (Sjöfartsverket) is responsible for safety and accessibility at sea. This responsibility includes sea rescue at sea, in coastal waters and in Lake Vänern, Lake Vättern and Lake Mälaren. Sea rescue also includes medical transport from ships and medical advice in connection with sea rescue operations. Sea rescue also searches for and rescues people in distress at sea.

The Swedish Maritime Administration is also the authority responsible for aerial rescue. The Maritime and Air Rescue Centre receives alarms and leads rescue operations around the clock. Swedish sea and air rescue is based on collaboration between authorities and organisations such as the Swedish Sea Rescue Society, the Police, the Coast Guard, the Swedish Armed Forces, municipal rescue services and all the Swedish Maritime Administration's boats and ships.

The Swedish Radiation Safety Authority

The Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (Strålsäkerhetsmyndigheten) is responsible for issues relating to the transport of radioactive substances by road, rail, sea and air. The authority also supervises the transport of radioactive substances for all modes of transport.

Swedavia

Swedavia owns, operates and develops the eleven largest airports in Sweden. Swedavia is a state-owned company that is responsible, among other things, for security at the airports.

 

Swedish Transport Administration

The Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket) is responsible for long-term planning of the transport system for road, rail, sea and air traffic. The authority is responsible for the construction, operation and maintenance of state roads and railways. The Swedish Transport Administration is responsible for the management of the national road network. Other roads are managed by municipal or private road owners.

 

The Swedish Transport Administration's crisis preparedness is based on being able to handle ordinary disruptions and severe stresses on society. The authority must lead and coordinate work on major accidents. The Swedish Transport Administration must also inform the public, municipalities and other authorities about what to do in a crisis. If a serious train accident were to occur, the Swedish Transport Administration and other actors, such as the emergency services and police, are responsible for dealing with it. The Swedish Transport Administration also works preventively to ensure that accidents do not occur, and exercises are held regularly.

 

The Swedish Transport Agency

The Swedish Transport Agency (Transportstyrelsen) works to ensure that transport by rail, air, sea and road is safe. This responsibility includes drawing up rules, granting licences and monitoring compliance with them. The Swedish Transport Agency is also responsible for registers of road traffic, railway vehicles, aircraft and seagoing vessels.

The Swedish Transport Agency is also the transport authority for sea and air transport of dangerous goods. It writes rules and oversees the international regulations on the transport of dangerous goods by sea and air. And they supervise the transport of dangerous goods by rail.

 

The information comes from: the Swedish Transport Administration, the Swedish Civil Aviation Administration, the Swedish Maritime Administration, the Swedish Energy Agency, the Swedish Coast Guard, the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority, Swedavia, the Swedish Transport Agency and the Swedish Police.