The voice 'Elin' has been making announcements in the Stockholm subway system since 2020, replacing the previous voice 'Linda', which was recorded by Linda Norgren. According to SL, speech synthesis is a more long-term solution because 'Linda' needed constant updates with new recordings, which is expensive and cumbersome. Cajsa Sjöbeck, press communicator at the traffic administration, notes that a person's voice changes over years, which can make announcements sound strange when using a mix of new and old recordings.
The voice company behind 'Elin' shares criticism raised by Johanna Hermann Lundberg, though the specifics remain unknown. ' There have been complaints about the announcement voice from 2021 to 2026, but the number and resolution status are unclear. Separately, a new conflict has arisen over a housing project just south of Bandhagen subway station.
The city wants to build a house with 45 student apartments eight meters from the train tracks. SL, or the traffic administration in Region Stockholm, claimed early on that the construction involves risks. SL has pointed out that it should be investigated what could happen if a train derails and crashes into the building, and has flagged that residents could throw objects onto the tracks.
The County Administrative Board in Stockholm has been critical because it assesses that it would be too noisy in the apartments. In 2023, Monika Stenberg, planning architect at the city planning office, said, 'We must not plan for a dangerous situation,' adding that the city should ensure there were no unacceptable risks for residents and subway passengers. The city heeded some comments and placed the building's loft corridors higher up to not be affected by a possible train derailment, but did not want to back down regarding proximity to the tracks, citing limited space.
When the detailed plan was adopted, SL appealed to the Land and Environment Court, referring to a safety regulation by Region Stockholm. The court rejected the appeal, stating the regulation cannot be equated with a provision from Transportstyrelsen and should not be considered a binding legal rule. SL has appealed to the Land and Environment Court of Appeal, the highest instance, with the current status unknown.
The appeal dismisses the lower instance's judgment as 'a subjective assessment' that there is 'every reason to question'. The traffic administration points out that the project 'can lead to injuries to people and property', and emphasizes that no one is better suited to make safety assessments about Sweden's only subway than the traffic administration. According to SL, it is offensive that Stockholm City has not taken this into account.
Sophie Gunnarsson, press communicator at the traffic administration, says the region's main line is that the plan entails unacceptable risks linked to safety, operation, and future development of the subway.