The cabinet has agreed to the cancellation of the Fyra high-speed rail service.

Ministers agreed at Friday’s cabinet meeting to follow the Dutch and Belgian railway companies in pulling out of the project. Dutch rail firm NS is 100% state-owned.

Earlier this week, parliament agreed to hold a formal inquiry into the debacle. The high-speed service was finally launched last December but put on hold earlier this year because of serious technical failings.

Meanwhile, the cabinet has given the NS more time to work out an alternative proposal for high-speed trains between Amsterdam and Brussels, news website nu.nl said. A final decision on an alternative will be taken by October 1, junior transport minister Wilma Mansveld said.