Railway safety systems in the Netherlands are becoming obsolete faster than anticipated, forcing the government to accelerate costly upgrades. Parts of the current security system will need to be replaced between 2035 and 2040. This is much earlier than planned, writes State Secretary Annet Bertram (Infrastructure, CDA) in a letter to the House of Representatives. As a result, the urgency to transition to the European safety standard ERTMS has increased significantly.
According to Bertram, sourcing both technology and expertise for the ageing system is already becoming more difficult. From 2035 onward, supply shortages are expected to intensify. “Keeping the Dutch railway network operational will come under pressure in the coming decades”, she warns.
At the current pace, full implementation of ERTMS is not expected until 2050. Bringing that deadline forward to 2040 would require an additional €5 billion in accelerated investment. This comes on top of an existing funding gap of €2 to €3 billion through 2050.
The ERTMS rollout is one of the largest infrastructure projects in the Netherlands and has been plagued by delays and rising costs. In the short term, the deficit has increased by €56 million, reaching €219 million. This is largely due to budget cuts introduced by the previous cabinet.
@anp | NEWSBRAINPORT
