Bus Brings Multiculturalism to Popular Beach: 'Yet Another Beach Ruined'

This summer, the red-green administration of the City of Gothenburg has decided to introduce yet another so-called ‘bath bus.’ The new route will run between Angered Center and Sillvik Beach. However, not everyone welcomes the new route.

Last year, the municipality launched a bath bus between Bögatan and Delsjöbadet. That line will also continue this year from June 13th to August 16th. The new route between Angered Center and Sillvik Beach will depart once every hour, every day between 9 AM and 9 PM, during the same period.

“I want children and young people to experience the smell of seawater,” says the chairman of the municipal board, Jonas Attenius (S), to Göteborgs-Posten.

Bathing locations that have become increasingly disorderly in the summer, leading Swedish families to seek out other places, are a growing problem. Many now fear that the new bus route will bring more problems to Sillvik Beach.

Criticism is massive on social media. Some of the comments:

“Good to know which beaches to avoid!”

“Haha, the beaches in Torslanda are already completely ruined from July to September. So no big loss.”

“Exactly, many in the population of the district the bus comes from don’t know how to clean up after themselves and leave it messy… we can do without this in our neighborhood.”

“Now it will be ‘Grilleby’ and walking around with sunflower seed shells up to your knees.”

“The beach that Swedes have laughed about for many years. We know how it is there, and how they behave. Askimsbadet has the same reputation.”

“Will the police have constant patrols there then?”

“The new Orient Express.”

“Forced mixing, yes…no one in Sillvik wants this…”

“Important to think about now when we’re voting in September. Is this what we want?”

“All the Sillvik residents must be so happy now.”

“Yet another beach ruined in Gothenburg.”

Vulnerable Areas

Angered is a district in northeastern Gothenburg with about 60,000 residents. The area consists, among others, of the neighborhoods Hjällbo, Hammarkullen, Lövgärdet, and Gårdsten.

Angered is known for its multicultural population and has long been one of Gothenburg’s most discussed areas regarding social challenges and integration.

Several parts of Angered are included on the police’s list of so-called vulnerable areas. Hjällbo, Hammarkullen, and Lövgärdet are classified as especially vulnerable areas, while Gårdsten is classified as a vulnerable area.

The municipality, the police, property owners, and local associations have worked on security-creating measures, renovations, and social initiatives to reduce crime and strengthen cohesion. In some parts, the development has gone in the right direction, but problems with gang crime and recruitment of young people to criminal networks persist.