Finnish budget director Mika Niemelä suggests savings by converting rural asphalt roads to gravel, which could negatively impact Eastern Finland, prompting locals to advocate for cuts from railway budget instead.
Finnish budget director Mika Niemelä has proposed that significant savings could be achieved by reducing maintenance of rural roads, suggesting that many asphalt roads could be converted to gravel in Eastern Finland. This region, characterized by long distances and a sparse population, already faces challenges such as depopulation, and such measures could exacerbate the situation. Niemelä's approach focuses on maintaining only essential main routes between municipalities, potentially sidelining remote areas.
