In an opinion piece titled 'We expect the government to keep its promise to realize the Stad ship tunnel', several mayors and mayoral candidates from Labour Party and Center Party have said "they were very disappointed and provoked by the news that the tunnel is put on hold in the revised national budget due to increased costs."

Signers of the opinion piece have said that the project is very important for the north-west Norway. They said while other similar projects in other parts of Norway are implemented, there are no similar projects in this region. They added that the reasons why this project was planned at the first place still valid.

https://www.fjordabladet.no/meiningar/i/pQbxOw/vi-forventar-at-regjeringa-held-paa-lovnaden-om-aa-realisere-stad-skipstunnel