Only 11 Odense light rail neighbours win compensation

Only 11 of 56 residents who complained about noise and vibration from the Odense Light Rail will receive compensation, totalling 610,000 kroner, DR reports. The awards range from 30,000 to 150,000 kroner.

The Valuation Commission, the appeals body handling the claims, has reached a decision similar to an earlier ruling by the Expropriation Commission. The light rail opened in May 2022.

Jesper Thinggaard Sørensen, who lives beside the line on Nyborgvej, will receive nothing. He had sought more than six million kroner, including compensation for what he considers a loss in the value of his home because of the noise.

“I am deeply disappointed by the decision,” he said. Sørensen said he would take the case to court.

Leif Nielsen, who lives in the Carl Nielsen neighbourhood in central Odense, also sought a million-kroner compensation payment but was awarded nothing. He said he was deeply disappointed and planned to pursue the case, potentially all the way to the Supreme Court.

The commission has not commented on the residents’ criticism. Its head of secretariat, Line Toftbjerglund Laursen, told DR that the rulings were made by an independent commission and that each decision and its reasons would be published on the secretariat’s website.

The awards cover noise, not losses in property value. Lotte Krogh Iversen, who has owned a home on Vestre Stationsvej, received 75,000 kroner. She said the decision did not account for disruption during construction and test runs, and that vibration had particularly affected her.

“We are pleased that the commission recognises that the light rail is noisy enough to exceed what we should have to tolerate, but the award is far below the loss we calculated,” she said. Iversen said she would study the ruling before deciding whether to continue her case.

Residents have argued that the line was built too close to their homes and causes excessive noise and vibration. Earlier measurements by Odense Light Rail itself confirmed the noise and vibration, according to the article.

Odense Light Rail chairman Jesper Rasmussen said the company would accept the decision and pay the 610,000 kroner. He acknowledged that the line had experienced noise and vibration problems throughout its operation, and said work to address them was continuing.

The company is testing a new type of wheel that may be quieter and cause less vibration. Rasmussen said lessons from the first stage would be applied to the planned second stage so it would cause less noise and disruption.