Nordland county municipality took in 34 million kroner from summer payment on its free ferries, almost double the nearly 17 million kroner it had aimed for, NRK reported.
Three years ago the government made almost all ferry connections in Norway free. Traffic rose sharply and long queues of tourists built up, so several county municipalities introduced summer payment this year to cut the queues. In Nordland, drivers with an AutoPass chip paid only for the first six trips on each connection during the summer, a model meant to shield residents who use the ferry often.
Tourists who travelled less often, or had no chip, had to pay.
Halvard Henriksen, who runs a business on the island of Vega outside Brønnøysund, said the ferry is free the rest of the year. "This is a bad practice. We who live and run businesses out here were promised a free ferry, and then we must get it," he said.
He warned the scheme could become a bad habit: "It can quickly become a bad culture when the county sees they're doing good business. He said technological solutions exist that would let tourists pay while residents and local businesses avoid the charge.
County politician Odd Arnold Skogsholm of Arbeiderpartiet said traffic this summer was lower than before, mainly because there were fewer tourists. "It's no good news that islanders and local businesses have had to fill the county municipality's operating budget," he said.
Richard Dagsvik of Fremskrittspartiet, the county's transport councillor, said the result was welcome. "We are very pleased that we reached the goal, and that we got in more than expected. It is quite simply a pure bonus for the county. He said the basis for the estimate was thin, and that the county is missing 20 million kroner after the state cut compensation for free ferries. Around 30 percent of the money came from people who paid for six trips before getting an exemption, he said. The scheme will be evaluated and adjusted for next summer, with reducing the number of paying trips one option.
Trøndelag and Møre og Romsdal also brought in summer rates, with four trips allowed before the charge falls away. Jesper Wiig, transport director in Møre og Romsdal, said the rate has had the desired effect, and the county expects 28 million kroner this year.