Major rail investment plan to be announced

Friday 16 November 2007

The Dutch railway system will come to a complete standstill after 2011 unless the cabinet makes major investments, reports Friday’s Volkskrant.

Billions of euros are needed to achieve the government’s target of a 5% growth in rail travel, it says.

Transport minister Camiel Eurlings is expected to present an ‘ambitious’ Rail Action Plan to the cabinet today. This includes lengthening railway platforms to allow longer and more trains, and doubling rail tracks on the busiest routes.

According to the paper, the minister still needs to find €4.5 bn for the investments necessary after 2011. It is unclear where this financing will come from.

Dutch Rail top man Ad Veenman said in August that the government must invest a total of €8bn in the railways over the next 10 years. Dutch Rail itself is investing billions of euros in new trains.

© DutchNews.nl

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