Elections for the provincial councils

The big issues in Utrecht

The Dutch are going to the polls on March 2 to elect their provincial representatives. Voting is often done with an eye on the national elections – those voted in will in their turn choose the new senate – but local issues will also make up minds. This is the ninth in a Volkskrant series on the most pressing provincial headaches.

Utrecht is the smallest province of all and one of the most densely populated. But although the locals are just about living on top on one another they cannot be said to be particularly close.

The province lacks a common denominator. Its regional television station has the country’s worst viewing figures. But life is good in Utrecht nevertheless. It’s central, it is beautiful: the Green Heart, or green belt to the west, the Eemland to the north east and the woods of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug right next to that.

This ecological main structure has become one of the main election issues in the province. Building houses, roads and business parks for the ever increasing population of Utrecht would interfere with the preservation and connection of the nature reserves.

Roads

The roads are the main problem. The parties find it impossible to agree on the subject. Utrecht is increasingly gridlocked. What is the province going to do? Build more roads or improve public transport? The VVD has (10 seats), predictably, dusted off the slogan: ‘Leave earlier, get home earlier’. And ‘Rather a noise reducing wall than an ecoduct.’

The Christian Democrats who are holding the majority with 10 seats want it all: better public transport, safe cycle paths, measures to promote working from home and more roads. ‘We will redesign roads wherever possible and if necessary we will widen them ’

Public transport

GroenLinks (4 seats) is vehemently against the idea of new roads. It wants to invest in new tramlines, bus links and fast cycle routes. ‘If 1 in 7 drivers leave the car at home bottle necks on Utrecht’s motor ways will become a thing of the past’, the party claims. It has the support of animal welfare party Partij voor de Dieren (1 seat) and the new 50Plus party: ‘Wider roads will only do so much. 50Plus wants better rail links from Almere to Utrecht and Amersfoort.’ The party also advocates free public transport for pensioners.

Nonsensical subsidies

The PVV is also making its debut in Utrecht where it has been saying the same thing as everywhere else: ‘Cut back nonsensical subsidies so road tax can be lowered. Drivers have been harassed and exploited and enough is enough.’ PVV candidate René Dercksen wants more roads and has no time for the public transport solution. ‘Widen the roads and put up noise reducing walls as soon as possible.’

PvdA (8 seats), SP (5 seats) and ChristenUnie (4 seats) want to combat noise and light pollution and fine dust contamination but are more circumspect: ‘Roads should be designed to fit the beautiful Utrecht landscape’, the PvdA says. The ChristenUnie thinks widening the roads, such as the Utrecht ring road, is acceptable but rejects new multilane roads. The cabinet has already given the nod to the ring road project and work is due to start soon.

Electric bicycle

Local parties Mooi Utrecht (1 seat) and Platform Lokale Partijen (PLU) are against the widening of the ring road because it infringes on nature. ’14 lane or more motor ways would stifle the city and the villages’, claims Mooi Utrecht. D66 (2 seats) may have the answer.

If Utrecht is bursting at the seams why not introduce an electric bike and build proper cycle paths, the party says. ‘Electric bikes and high quality cycle paths would make it easy to cover distances of up to 15 kilometers.’

This is an unoffical translation

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