Railway firms admit winter failings

State-owned railway organisations NS (passenger services) and ProRail (track management) told a parliamentary committee on Thursday they had failed to do their job during the recent wintry weather.


Too many engines and carriages broke down and the flow of information to passengers was inadequate, the companies said.
‘I can understand passengers’ frustrations,’ NS CEO Bert Meerstadt told the committee.
The freezing temperatures in December led to numerous services being cancelled.
Later, Hendrik Abma, head of the European railway association EIM, told the committee that wintry conditions will always cause problems. ‘There is no such thing as a winter-proof railway system,’ he said.

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