The first stage was built by the municipality with financing from the state and the toll road ring, based on the Bergen Program.

Ownership, maintenance and further extensions and vehicles are the responsibility of Hordaland County Municipality through its wholly owned subsidiary Bybanen AS.

The city council therefore decided to close it, arguing that the future lay in private cars, diesel buses and trolleybuses.

The proposed network was close to the current long-term plans for the light rail system, and consisted of three branches from the city center to Flaktveit, Olsvik and the airport.

This included European Route E39 north and south of the center, the road to the airport, and west to Loddefjord and Storavatnet.

Bridges were constructed to Lindås, Askøy and Sotra, and large parking garages were built in the city center.

Proposals to build bus lanes and traffic signal preemption was disregarded by the Public Roads Administration.

It became part of a political compromise, the Bergen Program, which ensured a number of road investments at the same time as the light rail system, all financed through the toll ring.

[12] The arguments for light rail were mainly related to the environment, urban development and reduction in road congestion.

Light rail is estimated to increase the use of public transport from Fana, reducing both local and global pollution.

Opponents of the project argued that it is unfair that public transport be funded by car drivers through toll roads.

Protests from people in northern and western areas of the city have risen, since they are paying for the system but will not receive the benefits.

For people living south of Nesttun, this will give a longer travel time to the city center than with direct buses that do not make intermediate stops.

Four names were changed: Nonneseteren from Jernbanen, Florida from Strømmen, Brann stadion from Nymark and Hop from Troldhaugen.

Brann stadion, named for the football venue, was declared a borderline case, but within the rules, while Troldhaugen was not permitted because the area is not in the vicinity of the station.

[18] Initial works commenced in August 2007, when Pastasentralen was demolished to make room for a temporary bus terminal that would allow Kaigaten to be closed for construction.

[19] Contracts for building the line were awarded to Svein Boasson, NCC Construction, Fyllingen Maskinstasjon and Veidekke Entreprenør.

To pass over Strømmen, a fourth Nygård Bridge was built for cars, and the oldest was upgraded and used by the light rail line.

[22] On 3 April 2009, the public transport agency Skyss announced that Fjord1 Partner, a joint venture between Fjord1 AS and Keolis, had won the tender competition.

Southwards, the line runs in a grass right-of-way through Nygård and Florida, serving the campus of the University of Bergen.

From the southern portal the line changes to conventional railway track with ballast, allowing trams to operate at 80 km/h (50 mph).

Construction began in January 2011,[31] on its own right-of-way parallel to the existing road;,[13] the track was completed in October 2012.

The proposed construction along Bryggen is formally adopted by the city council of Bergen, but controverses and continuing debates on an alternative tunnel solution has paused the process.

At Åsane, a major bus terminal would allow connections to the northern parts of Bergen, suburbs further north and areas in Nordhordland.

[35] Several politicians, including the majority in Hordaland County Council, have stated that in the long run they want the light rail line extended northwards to Knarvik and westwards to Straume and Kleppestø.

Light rail operations are based on contracts granted after public tender competitions held by Bybanen AS.

Between the seats there is a minimum width of 720 mm (2 ft 4 in), which allows wheelchair and buggy access along the full length of the car.

The minimum curve radius is 25 metres (82 ft 0 in) and tracks in city streets are laid within a rubber jacket to reduce noise.

[13] The depot is at Kronstad, at a former yard used by the Norwegian State Railways, where a track that connects the light rail network to the Bergen Line.

Many of the stations are in primarily residential areas, and the projects have met resistance from residents who fear that the character of their neighborhoods will be altered.