Traffic jams on the A12 motorway have been cut sharply following the introduction of a special rush hour lane, according to caretaker transport minister Camiel Eurlings.

The motorway, which runs from Arnhem and Utrecht to The Hague, is a notorious jam hotspot.
But the introduction of an 11 km extra lane from Zoetermeer to The Hague has had a major effect, Eurlings said. ‘Evening rush hour jams have more or less disappeared while morning ones have been cut by 30%,’ he told reporters.
Rush hour lanes are only open during peak periods and when traffic volumes are higher than 3,000 vehicles an hour.
Eurlings was speaking at the start of work on a new 18 km rush hour lane between Woerden and Gouda.