The new road traffic tunnel at the rear entrance to Amsterdam’s central station opened on Monday, two years later than planned.

With cars, lorries and vans now speeding through the tunnel, the area between the station and the IJ river will be developed into a boulevard for walkers. Cyclists will have their own lanes, the Parool reports.

The tunnel, construction of which began in 2003, consists of two tubes, each with two lanes.

It is part of a major project around central station which includes the Noord-Zuidlijn (north-south line), an underground rail link which will provide 200,000 passengers a day with ‘fast, safe and comfortable’ transport from Amsterdam North to the WTC railway station in the south of the city in 15 minutes.

The metro line is due to open in 2017.