Swedish Transport Administration’s new train control system contains “unacceptable risks”

A new internal risk assessment reveals that Sweden’s Transport Administration has identified several “unacceptable risks” in its new telephone system for managing rail traffic, despite management claims that issues are being addressed, Swedish public broadcaster SVT reports.

Five critical risks—including dropped emergency calls, misrouted alarms, delayed connections, and poor audio quality—were flagged in the analysis. Staff warn that such failures could lead to fatal accidents.

“The operation is screaming that this isn’t safe,” one employee told SVT, while another called the situation “horrifying.”

In one reported incident, police alerted the Transport Administration about a suicidal individual near the tracks, but the call was initially misrouted, causing critical delays. “The call vanished into the void. Minutes passed before the right person got the information,” an employee said.

Thomas Andersson, head of the relevant department, acknowledged the issues but insisted the system remains safe. “We’re working hard to eliminate flaws and stabilise the system,” he told SVT, adding that backup procedures are in place. He also welcomed an upcoming review by the Swedish Transport Agency, which is investigating multiple reports of system failures, including crashed software and non-functional emergency calls.

The risk assessment was conducted in early April, but employees claim little has changed. “To colleagues who feel concerned, I’m the first to shake their hands for the excellent work they’re doing,” Andersson said. “We’re in close dialogue to improve their situation.”