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Brief facts about Helsinki

 

 

Transport Facilities

Effective traffic planning ensures efficient and safe movement of people and goods. The City has excellent harbour facilities and the flow of goods through the Port of Helsinki is constantly increasing.

The Port has a certified quality system (standard SFS-EN ISO 9002). Certification covers vessel, cargo, internal and technical services. Every effort is being made to expand the system of feedback from users so as to be able to take their wishes and suggestions more comprehensively into account. The quality system motivates Port personnel to contribute to development work in this area. This, in turn, raises the standard of commercial management and ensures good environmental protection.

Helsinki City Transport has its own fleet of buses, trams and underground trains, in addition to which it outsources services. Public transport accounts for a high proportion of total passenger movement, close to 70 per cent in the central areas of the city during the rush hours. In particular, there has been a significant increase in the number of people using trams in the past few years.


Energy and Water Works

City-owned utilities offer electricity, district heating, natural gas and related services to companies and private users. With more than 300,000 clients, Helsinki Energy is one of the largest producers and distributors of electricity and district heating. Over 90 per cent of the City's housing is connected to the district-heating network. Helsinki Energy is now in the process of internationalising and its experts are working on projects in the Baltic States and Russia.

Both Helsinki Energy and Helsinki Water have made environmental-friendliness and cost-effectiveness the overriding principles that constantly guide their operations.

Helsinki Water has given the authorities in Tallinn, Estonia expert assistance in their efforts to modernise the water mains and sewer network there and is also helping them to develop their financial management. The results have been impressive, especially on the sewage-treatment side, where effectiveness has risen almost to Helsinki's high level in just a few years.

Helsinki Water has likewise cooperated with its counterpart in St. Petersburg to develop water-purification and sewage-treatment facilities, metering and invoicing systems and financial-management methods. It is also participating in a long-term project, sponsored by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, to develop a water supply system for St. Petersburg.


Construction

More than 2,935 new dwellings were completed in Helsinki in 1997. The City also continued to invest considerable sums in new housing and housing renovation. Another main area of focus was public service buildings, such as schools.

The new home of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Kiasma (meaning "Chiasma"), has been the biggest single public building project in Helsinki for years. The work began in February 1996 and the museum was opened to the public on 30 May 1998.

 

   

Deputy Mayor
Martin Meinander

TECHNICAL SERVICES
 
- Energy supply
- The port od Helsinki:
Harbour services for freight and passenger traffic
- Public transport services
- Water supply and sewage treatment
- Municipal engineering and maintenance services

  KEY FIGURES
(FIM = Finnish markkas; 1$=ca. 5.5 FIM)
- Income FIM 527 million
- Expenditure FIM 786 million
- per inhabitant FIM 1,456
- Investment* FIM 347 million
*)The municipal business enterprises are not included in these figures
- Personnel strength 7,099
(incl. municipal business enterprises' 4,597)
- % of total City employees 18.4


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