Government launches new talks for vital rail link – Northern Times

The Dutch government encourage People from towns and villages between Groningen and Amsterdam will participate in the next phase of the Lelylijn public consultation.

Your comments and ideas will be reflected in the design, construction and operation of this once-in-a-generation railway project, which can provide people across the region with new connections to family, friends, work, education and leisure activities. .

Key areas of focus for the consultation, which began on February 6, 2023, are:

• New stations and infrastructure options to support them
• How many trains need to run per hour in Lelylijn
• How fast does the fastest train between Groningen/Leewarden and Amsterdam travel?

Vivianne Heijnen, Secretary of State for Infrastructure and Water Management, said: The new rail line is a multi-billion euro investment that has long been talked about. I’m curious what residents expect from her Lely line, what opportunities they see, and what concerns they have. I am confident that our plans will improve if residents are involved in consultations. “

By offering a more direct route between Lelystad and Groningen, the Lelylijn project aims to reduce the travel time between the suburban Northern Province and the densely populated metropolitan area by about 40 minutes. . The plan also includes several stops in Emeraude, Heerenveen and Drachten. With a total cost of potentially over €10 billion if approved, the line could represent an important investment for Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe and give a significant boost to the region’s economy.

The Cabinet has made initial provisions of €3 billion for the development of the route, but additional funding is needed.

The state of Groningen is eager for the Rayleigh Line to go east and connect Groningen with major German cities such as Bremen and Hamburg. This makes the project eligible for the European TEN-T funding program dedicated to cross-border railway projects.

The operating speed of the new line is about 200km/h. The northern province says that improved rail infrastructure and a faster rail link to Randstad could build about 220,000 additional homes to address the housing shortage in the country.