The government has spent €600m on reducing traffic congestion on the A4 motorway near Leiden but motoring organisations say the jams have worsened rather than improved, news agency ANP says on Friday.

The road now consists of two lanes each way with a parallel lane reserved for traffic heading for Amsterdam. However, long jams are forming where the three lanes meet near Leiden, the ANWB and traffic information service VID say.

Transport minister Melanie Schultz told reporters on Friday that the situation is better than it was, but admitted there are still problems. ‘It is one of the busiest stretches of road in the country,’ the minister said.

The VID suggests adding an extra lane to the motorway but the transport ministry has so far dismissed the idea. Instead, officials say changing the road markings and the way the three lanes merge will cut congestion.