Danes and North Germans agree:
Fehmarnbelt link will strengthen regional development
New survey shows public backing for the fixed Fehmarnbelt link

A majority of North Germans and Danes have a positive or neutral view on the planned fixed link across the Fehmarnbelt. In a survey undertaken by tns infratest on behalf of Femern A/S, people believe that the fixed link will impact positively on the region.

The representative survey of 1,000 Danes and 1,000 Germans was conducted in March and April in Denmark and in Northern Germany (Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg and Mecklenburg-West Pomerania).

Overall, the results of the survey are positive. In Northern Germany, 30 per cent of the Germans view the project as positive or fairly positive, while the corresponding figure for Danes is 42 per cent. In both countries, a large proportion of the population has a neutral view (43 per cent in Northern Germany and 36 per cent in Denmark).

On both sides of the Fehmarnbelt, people are aware of the opportunities of the fixed link. In both Denmark and Northern Germany, the fixed link is expected to strengthen developments in the Øresund Region and Northern Germany (61 per cent in Denmark and 60 per cent in Northern Germany). Moreover, the project is seen as a good investment in infrastructure.

In both countries, however, there remains a substantial need for information about the Fehmarnbelt project. 69 per cent of the people in both countries feel they have not received enough information. Femern A/S, therefore, is to launch a broad range of information initiatives to the general public. In the summer of 2009, information centres will be set up in Burg on Fehmarn on the German side and in Rødbyhavn on Lolland in Denmark.

Contact:

New survey shows public backing for the fixed Fehmarnbelt link, pdf