It is no secret that the Dutch rail freight sector is concerned about its future. (A lack of) government policy has been an obstacle for it to thrive. A successful sector lobby got parliament to pass an appeal, pushing the ministry to formulate a policy plan for the future. Now that that plan is finally out, 49 months later, market parties are once again sounding the alarm.
“In conclusion: a lot of words, not specific, ‘lots of old wine in new bags’, no innovative policy, no decisive action to improve the competitiveness of (intermodal) rail freight”, that is how Dutch rail freight association RailGood characterised the long-awaited policy plan from the infrastructure ministry.
An association of 16 parties that make an effort to improve logistics and trade in the Netherlands, including Schiphol Airport and the ports of Rotterdam and Amsterdam, as well as infrastructure manager ProRail, see it no different. The so-called Logistieke Alliantie commented: “The recent letter from the government about the future of rail is a missed opportunity, given the great need in rail freight transport.”
Abandonment of any ambition
“A clear vision and an associated financial investment agenda are urgently needed to stop the ongoing decline in freight transport and to make rail more attractive to carriers”, the alliance adds. In 2023, the sector record a 12 per cent loss when compared to 2022’s freight volumes, a trend that continued in 2024. A clear government policy and money are “necessary for both the environment and the economy”, according to the association.
In the policy plan, the infrastructure ministry announced its intention to follow the “steady development” scenario – which in practice means the abandonment of any ambition, writes publication SpoorPro. Earlier growth targets, as well as the ambitions as laid out in European policy (including the Green Deal), are completely out of sight. The Logistieke Alliantie is disappointed that the ministry has not come up with anything better, despite all the efforts from the rail sector.
Policy proposals
The association calls for 740-metre trains, further implementation of ERTMS and improving infrastructure along the so-called Betuwe Line. It wants a policy plan to develop multimodality and harmonised legislation for dangerous goods at a European level. The Dutch parliament is planning to have a debate on rail freight policy on Wednesday 15 January.