THE outgoing Dutch government has allocated a budget of €98m for the electrification of two lines in the eastern Netherlands. They are:
- Zutphen - Hengelo: 46km of single track with four intermediate stations, and
- Almelo - Mariënberg: 19km of single track with three intermediate stations.
Outgoing secretary of state at the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure, Ms Vivianne Heijnen, says that she wants to take a step towards a carbon emissions-free future for rail operations.
The funding for both lines was unexpected as only a year ago the Dutch government informed regional authorities that there was no money available for such projects. The total cost for both lines is estimated at €200m. The remaining costs are to be covered by the regional governments of Gelderland and Overijssel.
Services on both lines are currently operated by Arriva Netherlands.
Maaslijn delays
Separately, the heavily-delayed electrification of the 107km Maaslijn from Nijmegen to Venlo and Roermond is now likely to start next year. Completion is expected in 2027, seven years later than originally planned.
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