On 18 February, Helsinki Administrative Court made a decision on an appeal concerning the felling of trees required for the construction of Jokeri Light Rail in Patterimäki, located in Pajamäki. According to the decision, the prohibition on felling trees shall remain in force, and the matter was referred back to the Uusimaa Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment for review. In order to minimise the impact on the schedule and cost of the light rail project, tunnel construction will be started via a sand silo north of Patterimäki.
Jokeri Light Rail will pass under Patterimäki park in Pajamäki partly through a tunnel. Helsinki Administrative Court has processed an appeal from Helsingin luonnonsuojeluyhdistys regarding the felling of trees essential for the construction of the rail line. According to the decision made by Helsinki Administrative Court on 18 February, the prohibition to fell trees shall remain in force, and the matter was referred back to the Uusimaa Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment for review. This means that preparatory work for the construction of the tunnel cannot yet be started from the direction of the incoming rail line.
It is likely that the Jokeri Light Rail project will have to apply for a deviation permit for the felling from the Uusimaa Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment. The construction of the Patterimäki tunnel is critical to the schedule of the entire project. The processing of the deviation permit will further delay the commencement of the felling.
Delays in the overall project schedule would have very significant cost implications. To reduce risks, the Jokeri Light Rail alliance will begin construction of the tunnel through a sand silo to the north of Patterimäki at the end of February, with no need for felling at this stage.
This decision was reached because there are no viable alternatives for the route. Excavating the tunnel through the sand silo will not change the Jokeri Light Rail route.
Previously:
- The Jokeri Light Rail alliance announced that it would begin felling trees in Patterimäki park in mid-May 2019.
- In May 2019, Pajamäki-seura and Helsingin luonnonsuojeluyhdistys applied for a prohibition of measures from the Uusimaa Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment.
- The Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment rejected the associations’ applications in July 2019. According to the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment, the prohibition of measures was unnecessary and no deviation permit was needed for the tree felling.
- Helsingin luonnonsuojeluyhdistys appealed against the decision of the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment to Helsinki Administrative Court and simultaneously applied for a prohibition of measures on the tree felling.
- Helsinki Administrative Court made a provisional decision that there was no need to issue a prohibition on enforcement.
- Helsingin luonnonsuojeluyhdistys applied for leave to appeal against Helsinki Administrative Court’s decision and a prohibition of measures on the tree felling from the Supreme Administrative Court.
- The Supreme Administrative Court issued a prohibition on enforcement on 22 July 2019 until Helsinki Administrative Court has decided on the appeal against the decision of the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment.
- Helsinki Administrative Court extended the prohibition of measures and referred the matter back to the Uusimaa Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment on 18 February 2020.