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Maintenance and traffic congestion to be given top priority

News item | 16-09-2003

The government's main aim for the next four years is to tackle the current backlog of rail, road and waterway maintenance. Little money will be available for investment in new projects.

Minister Karla Peijs and State Secretary Melanie Schultz van Haegen (Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management) are also opting to focus on traffic congestion and measures to control flooding. These priorities are reflected in the Ministry's budget for 2004.

Maintenance
Over recent years, heavy traffic and the introduction of stricter environmental and safety standards have produced a backlog of road, rail and waterway maintenance. Funds are being earmarked to remedy the situation. Where possible, the government has set measurable targets.

Roads
To deal with the backlog in road maintenance, the government is setting aside €600 million between now and 2010. Over the same period, an additional sum of €715 million will be made available for specific measures to tackle traffic congestion. These will include the construction of extra lanes to accommodate rush-hour traffic at major black spots and improved information provision on traffic flow. These measures will not solve the problem of congestion but should improve local traffic flow by at least 30%.

Rail and waterways
Between now and the end of 2010, €853 million has been earmarked for railway maintenance. The aim is to reduce disruption on the rail network in 2007 to 60-65% of the figure in 2000. Punctuality should increase from 81% in 2002 to 87-89% in 2007. For waterway maintenance through to 2010, the government is reserving €700 million. Priority will be given to economically important locations and links, like the ports of Rotterdam and Amsterdam and the links to Germany and Antwerp.

Water
To improve flood protection, the government is setting aside €100 million between now and 2007. This will be used for regional solutions to improve water storage in times of scarcity and discharge in times of surplus. In addition, €225 million will be available between now and 2010 for strengthening coastal defences and the dikes surrounding the Markermeer and the IJsselmeer.

Cuts
There is a budgetary shortfall of around €1.3 billion through to 2010. The government proposes to resolve the situation by postponing or freezing a number of planned infrastructure projects and cutting certain subsidies.