Motorists urged to avoid Utrecht on Wednesday morning as farmers stage a new protest

Farmers' leaders in Zuid-Holland meet king's commissioner Jaap Smit and deputies Jeannette Baljeu and Adri Bom-Lemstra.
Farmers' leaders in Zuid-Holland meet king's commissioner Jaap Smit. Photo: Provincie Zuid-Holland
Farmers in the centre of Groningen. Photo: Anjo de Haan / HH

Transport ministry officials are warning motorists to avoid the motorway around Utrecht on Wednesday morning because of a new protest by farmers. Road works on the A12 will pose an added problem, officials said.

Hundreds of farmers are expected to travel by tractor to Bilthoven on Wednesday morning to protest at the way the public health institute RIVM calculates calculates the level of nitrous oxide and other pollutants.

They say the calculations are exaggerated or wrong and that they are being unfairly penalised.

The demonstration was originally scheduled to take place at the RIVM offices but police have now moved the protest to a nearby sports field because of safety concerns.

All but essential RIVM workers have been told to work from home on Wednesday as a precaution, local broadcaster RTV Utrecht said.

Once the morning protest is over, farmers will drive on in their tractors to The Hague to stage a second demonstration outside parliament.

Meanwhile, three people have been arrested in connection with the violent incidents at Monday’s protest by farmers in Groningen.

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