Transport, communication and tourism
The subject of this chapter is statistics for water transport, railway transport, road transport and air transport and also for postal, telecommunication, broadcasting and travel services. The results are published in NOS Transport and Communication Statistics and more comprehensively in special publications for each topic.
The first transport statistics were published on water transport and date back to 1835. For railway transport statistics have been published since 1854 while some main figures for roads go back to 1840. Statistical information about postal and telecommunication services exists from the middle of the 18th century. The statistics on air transport and broadcasting are obviously of more recent date. There have been changes in both system and scope for all transport statistics, so with few exceptions, the figures for the first years are not comparable to the ones from recent years. Consequently, the time series presented in this publication cover a much shorter period than the history of the statistics.
Total transport performances
Statistics Norway and the Institute for Transport Economics have cooperated in making statistics on domestic goods and passenger transport services by mode of transportation for the years 1946-1992. The tables include only transport within Norway. The transport of goods in Norway in connection with imports, exports and transit is not included.
Yearly data on transport work are collected for some modes of transport. This applies to domestic scheduled travel, railway transport, scheduled road transport and air transport. For other groups data are collected at intervals of some years, usually every fifth year. Figures for the intervening years are estimates. This applies to water transport (hire or on own account), lorry transport, private motoring transport and taxi transport. For some modes of transport there are not enough data even for estimates. This applies to pleasure boats and other boats not on scheduled routes and the transport of goods by private cars or fishing vessels.
Passenger transport
Railway transport dominated immediately after WWII in terms of both number of travellers (55 per cent) and passenger transport work (45 per cent). However, the transport picture changed rapidly. As early as around 1950, road transport had taken over, in terms of number of travellers as well as passenger transport work. This was primarily due to bus transport and then private car transport. In 1992 road transport's share of tavellers was 95 per cent and of transport work 90 per cent.
Railway transport has generally declined in terms of the number of passengers. The figures for 1992 were barely half of the figures for 1946. Since the average length of trips has become longer, passenger transport work was 18 per cent higher in 1992 than in 1946, but still it has declined to only 5 per cent of total passenger transport work. Railways carried 3 per cent of travellers in 1992. The shortest trips have declined the most, i.e., passenger transport on tramways and suburban railways. Even if taxi transport counts little in this connection, the extent measured in transport work has tripled since 1946. This particular increase is, however, modest compared with the development in air transport. From 3 million passenger kilometres in 1946 the number increased to 2 900 million in 1992. Since the end of the 1980s, transport work for air transport has been higher than for railway transport, and today it corresponds to more than 70 per cent of the scheduled road transport work. In terms of the number of travellers, air transport's share is far more modest.
Goods transport
In 1946, 2/3 of all goods transport work was in water transport, while road transport was the most important in terms of tons transported, which amounted to as much as 3/4. The transport picture changed rapidly, however, even though water and road transport still were the dominating modes of transport for goods in 1992. For both modes of transport, transport work increased until the mid-1970s. While the ton-kilometre production for traditional (competitive) water transport counted for 48 per cent of mainland transport in 1992, the comparable figure for road transport was 41 per cent.
Railway transport's share of ton-kilometre production has remained stable, comprising 8 per cent in 1946 and 9 per cent of the ton-kilometre production in mainland transport in 1992. The transport of oil from the North Sea to the mainland started in 1979. The first years these oil transports were relatively insignificant compared with mainland transport. The extent of the production of oil increased rapidly, however, and pipelines were laid. Gaspipes to the Norwegian mainland have also been of interest. In 1992 these transports made up as much as 55 per cent of mainland transport measured in ton-kilometres.
Since 1966 Statistics Norway has produced statistics that show the quantity of goods imported and exported by mode of transport. Goods in transit, ships and aircrafts are excluded. For imports as well as exports, the mode of transport reported is the one that carried the goods across the Norwegian border. In addition to the transported quantities and the transport work mentioned above, the transport work (ton-kilometres) carried out on Norwegian territory for imports and exports is calculated on the basis of the statistics for imports and exports by mode of transport.
Statistics on total goods transport on Norwegian territory (see table 20.6) equals the sum of domestic goods transports and goods transport on Norwegian territory in connection with imports and exports.
Water transport
Official statistics on shipping have been available since 1835. In the statistics on ships and tonnage, the lower limit for the size of the ships has varied. Before 1909-1910, the official figures included vessels down to 4 net tons. Up to 1957 the statistics comprised all ships required to register, i.e., all kinds of steam and motor vessels of 25 gross tons or more and sailing vessels of 50 gross tons or more. Accordingly, the statistics on ships and tonnage included many vessels which were not merchant vessels, namely all fishing, whaling and other special vessels of more than 25 gross tons. In 1957 the Nordic countries agreed to limit the term "merchant fleet" to comprise only real merchant vessels, e.g. vessels of 100 gross tons or more for the transport of goods and passengers.
There were 1 748 ships registered in the Norwegian merchant fleet in 1949. The total tonnage was hardly 5 million tons. The number of ships has been relatively constant since that time, but the gross tonnage has increased considerably. The peak was reached at the end of 1976 with a little more than 27 million gross tons. After a decline of several years, with the bottom reached in 1986, with only a little more than 7 million gross tons, at the end of 1992 the gross tonnage was 22 millions, 1 787 ships. Less than 1 per cent of all ships were larger than 19 999 gross tons in 1956. The comparable figure for 1992 was 19. In addition to the ships on the average becoming larger, they have also become older. In 1956 ships less than 5 years old made up 43 per cent of the total gross tonnage. At the end of 1992 the share had decreased to about 16 per cent.
The statistics on maritime casualties are based on reports from the Maritime Inspectors and comprise Norwegian ships of 25 gross tons or more - totally or partially lost.
The statistics on gross freight earnings in ocean transport are based on the shipowners' reports on the gross freight earnings etc. of each vessel in ocean transport. Prior to 1937 these reports included ships down to about 50 gross tons. From 1937-1987 the reports were limited to ships 500 gross tons and more; in recent years the limit has been set to 250 gross tons.
Until 1988 the statistics on ships laid up included ships of more than 500 gross tons rendered inactive due to the status of the freight market. From 1988 the statistics comprised ships of 100 gross tons or more, registered in the Norwegian Ordinary Shipping Register and in the Norwegian International Shipping Register. Vessels being repaired, waiting to be repaired or temporarily withdrawn from service, are not included.
Statistics on domestic coastal trade have been compiled each year since 1953 and comprise all routes that are licensed. Due to changes in the law, the scope of the statistics has been changed since 1987. Previously a license was required for scheduled services for passengers as well as for freight. From 1987 a license is required only for scheduled routes for passengers. The statistics from 1987 therefore comprise all routes with a license for passenger transport. For combined routes for passengers as well as freight, the latter is also included in the statistics. The statistics also cover routes for freight for which the companies receive subsidies to run. Previously, all freight routes were included in the statistics.
Annual statistics for ships in domestic routes, the ones under contract and the ones operated by their owners, have been compiled since 1981. The statistics comprise Norwegian-registered vessels between 100 and 3 000 gross tons (for 1985 50-3 000 gross tons) which have carried at least one cargo between Norwegian ports during the year in question. Scheduled transports and fishing vessels are not included. Since 1983 tugboats and supply ships serving the oil industry on the Continental Shelf have been excluded due to inadequate reporting. Each fifth year Statistics Norway also carries out a sample survey of both owner-operated and chartered vessels which are based on reports for the months of August, September and October. The survey was last conducted in 1985 and comprised the same vessels as in the annual survey.
Railway transport, etc.
The earliest railway statistics can be found in the reports published by each line. The first collective report was for the year 1879-1880. The scope of the statistics has varied, but they have always comprised state railways, private railways, suburban railways and tramways.
Road transport
Prior to 1964, the statistics on the length of public roads comprised public roads outside cities. In connection with a new Highway Act, a new classification on public roads was introduced in 1964, which also counted the streets in the towns as a part of the public road network. Main roads leading into towns and throughways in towns are counted as national or provincial roads, while the remaining streets are counted as local roads. If the increase in number of kilometres of public roads due to the new law of 1964 is ignored, the relative increase has been stable in the period 1840-1992. The number of kilometres of public roads doubled in the period 1840-1905. It doubled again in the next 65 years until 1970. In the period 1970-1992 the length of public roads has increased by 24 per cent.
The statistics on civilian motor vehicles and trailers do not comprise unregistered tractors engaged in agriculture. Since 1973 the figures have only comprised vehicles with license plates at the end of the year, while vehicles that had the licenses removed during the year were previously included. At the turn of the last century 2 cars were registered in Norway. In 1925 the number had increased to more than 32 000. By the end of the 1930s there were 100 000 registered motor vehicles, of which passenger cars made up about 50 per cent. At the end of 1992 about 2.4 million motor vehicles were registered, of which the passenger cars made up just about 70 per cent.
Statistics Norway has conducted periodic surveys of goods transport by lorry since 1947. The method and extent have changed several times, but the main results are still comparable over time. The statistics on scheduled road transport comprise in principle all companies with licenses for regular bus transport, including the state railways' and tramcars' bus routes. The bus companies' non-scheduled traffic was included up to 1985. Since 1986 all freight transports have been exempt from acquiring a license. Subsequently, statistics on scheduled road transport comprise, in addition to passenger transport, only goods transport with subsidies from the state, county or municipal authorities.
The statistics on road traffic accidents comprise accidents reported to the police. The accident must have occurred on a private or public road, street or square open to general traffic and with at least one motor vehicle involved. Prior to 1964 accidents with personal injuries as well as material damage were included in the statistics. In 1957 the obligation to report accidents with only material damage was considerably limited and since 1964 these accidents have been excluded from the statistics. Statistics on road traffic accidents are available from 1939. At that time about 80 per cent of the injured or killed were others than the drivers or passengers of a motor vehicle. In 1992 the drivers and the passengers of the vehicles accounted for 70 per cent of the injured or killed. The number of killed in road traffic accidents was highest in 1970, 560 persons. After that year there has been a declining tendency. The final figure for 1993 is less than 300. The number has not been lower since 1958.
Post, telecommunications and broadcasting
The first statistics on postal services were published in 1865. Since 1966 the official postal statistics have been published in NOS Transport and Communication Statistics. The Postal Administration issues a publication with the title "Norges Postverk". The official statistics on the work of the Telegraph Service were issued in a special publication in NOS from 1862 to 1965. Since 1966 the statistics have been published in NOS Transport and Communication Statistics. The Telecommunication Administration issues a publication for service use entitled Televerket - statistics. The statistics on broadcasting are based on figures from the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation.
Travel
Hotel Statistics have been compiled since 1950. Since 1984 these statistics have comprised all hotels and other accomodations with 20 beds or more. Prior to that, the statistics comprised only licensed hotels. Changes in the scope have reduced the comparability of the statistics. In order to rectify this Statistics Norway has made revisions to make the figures more comparable. The comments below are based on the revised figures. The hotel statistics are published annually in NOS Statistics on Travel.
From 1950 to 1992 the number of guest-nights in Norwegian hotels increased by 150 per cent. The increase was relatively stable throughout most of the 1940s. The late 1980s were characterized by stagnation, but the beginning of the 1990s has shown an increase. The number of beds in hotels tripled from 1950 to 1992. Accordingly, the utilization of capacity has been drastically reduced in the 40-year period.
Statistics on camping sites have been published since 1968. Until 1989 the statistics comprised all licensed camping sites. From 1989 the statistics comprised only the larger camping sites, i.e. sites with capacity of indoor accommodation of 8 cabins/
rooms or more. The camping sites statistics are published in NOS Statistics on Travel. From the late 1960s to the mid-1970s, the traffic at the camping sites increased considerably. Since then and up to 1987 the figures for overnight stays decreased. From 1987 to 1990, the figures for camping guests again showed an increase, but the figures for 1991 and 1992 showed stagnation and decline.
Reports on travel currency expenses and income from travel currency are taken from the National Accounts and are mainly based on reports from Norges Bank on sales of currency for travelling purposes. In the 1960s, Norway had a surplus of travel currency. Since 1972, however, expenses have exceeded income.