Train services across parts of the Netherlands were severely disrupted on Tuesday morning after a malfunction occurred at thirteen locations on railway tracks in the central Netherlands, according to ProRail.
The railway infrastructure manager said the fault is causing major disruption to train services in the country’s central and northern parts. The journey planner shows that many trains in these regions have either been cancelled or are running late.
An NS spokesperson said train traffic has come to a complete halt in several areas, including around Zwolle. No trains are running between Utrecht and Gouda or between Apeldoorn and Deventer. Despite the disruption, she said station crowds remain manageable.
“It is slightly busier than normal, but manageable,” the spokesperson said.
According to ProRail, the problem is a so-called section failure, which is a malfunction in the train safety system.
“The system then indicates that the track is occupied, even though that is not the case,” a spokesperson explained. “In that situation, you cannot operate a safe and reliable timetable.”
The malfunction may also cause level crossing barriers to close, which could disrupt road traffic, ProRail said.
The cause of the failure is still unknown. ProRail also said it remains unclear how long repair work will take. The railway operator has advised travellers to expect delays, cancellations and longer journey times.
NS is not providing replacement transport, such as buses. According to the spokesperson, the disruption is affecting too many routes for that to be feasible.
@anp | NEWS BRAINPORT
