Two people have died in a collision between a train and a car on a level crossing in Friesland. The crash happened on a private road near Harlingen on Monday morning. The Leeuwarder Courant reported the car was in a convoy taking children from the Prins Johan Frisoschool to see newborn lambs on a local farm. Witnesses said the vehicle was dragged 250 metres along the rail line before the train stopped. It is the second accident in six weeks... More >

Train drivers and conductors will take strike action on Friday because their work has become ‘too monotonous’, reports NU.nl. The VVMC union said that the staff are unhappy with new working conditions issued in September meaning drivers and conductors can only cover a specific number of journeys in one day, from one location. NS, the Dutch railway service, expects ‘major impact across the country’ after the staff based at Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Hoofddorp begin a strike up to 11am. It... More >

Rail passengers are getting used to the most wide-ranging overhaul of the national train timetable in nearly 10 years, with 98% of commuters facing a change to their routine. The changes include extra trains between Almere and Schiphol airport via Amsterdam-Zuid and quicker trains from The Hague to Eindhoven, Groningen and Leeuwarden. But some direct trains have been reduced or cut altogether, such as the service between Venlo and The Hague. Passengers took to social media to complain of delays, overcrowding... More >

  Rotterdam is working towards green transport with no strings attached – the municipality has begun a trial to recharge electric cars wirelessly, reports the AD on Tuesday. Three city companies are beginning a trial after two years of preparatory work, using specially converted vehicles. ‘This could be an ideal way to recharge batteries, especially at taxi ranks and bus stops,’ Hans Boot, of Engie Services Nederland told the AD. The charging system works using an induction plate and coil,... More >

  Amsterdam can ban small mopeds from inner-city bike paths and make helmets compulsory, according to the Parool. After years of discussion, transport minister Melanie Schultz van Haegen has given the green light for Amsterdam to ban the vehicles – which should have a maximum speed of 25km/h. Repeated studies have suggested that most actually go faster than this, some 80% according to Labour MP Duco Hoogland. The transport minister, says the Parool, made a written decision on Thursday giving... More >

The shape of the Dutch capital needs to change drastically to cope with self-driving vehicles, according to research released to Het Parool. The report by Boston Consulting Group, commissioned by Amsterdam city council, said without ‘strong’ interventions, the city of 2035 will be clogged-up with self-driving cars. It predicted that cyclists and pedestrians will simply push in front of them, making them stop, and that they will need special routes. New roads, parking spaces, signs and lights will also be needed. ‘It... More >