Railway operator ProRail is to be brought back under direct ministerial control after 20 years as an independent 100% state-owned company, broadcaster NOS said at the weekend.

Sources in The Hague have told the broadcaster ministers agree that ProRail should be put under ministerial supervision in an effort to improve its effectiveness and keep better control of its finances.

A spokesman for the transport ministry told news agency ANP no decision has yet been taken but parliament would be briefed ahead of Thursday’s debate on the railways. ProRail runs the Dutch railway network while NS runs the actual train services.

ProRail has an annual budget of some €2.5bn to maintain and improve the railway network, most of which comes from the government.

Problems

However, the company has been hit by a number of budget disasters, including massive overspends stemming from the redevelopment of Utrecht’s central station. It has also been criticised for not doing enough to tackle signal failures, particularly during very cold weather.

Ministers say their ability to intervene is limited because they can only act as shareholders in the current set-up.

ProRail’s central works council and the railway unions have criticised the reported plan to bring the company back under direct control. The works council told BNR radio the move would break promises and damage the interests of both travellers and transporters.