The caretaker cabinet is getting 2,5 billion euros from the National Growth Fund for public transport projects in the Randstad. 1,5 billion euros will be spent on extending the Amsterdam North / South line to Schiphol and Hoofdorp. The remaining 1 billion euros is for the improvement and expansion of the track between Schiedam and Delft. In both cases this is half of the estimated investment sum.
Ministers Wopke Hoekstra of Finance and Bas van 't Wout of Economic Affairs have awarded a total of 4,1 billion euros to ten projects that should strengthen the Dutch economy in a sustainable way. For example, they ensure higher productivity or create new activity. Over the next five years, 20 billion euros will be available from the growth fund for this type of investment.
Other projects for which the cabinet wants to use the growth fund revolve around green hydrogen, quantum technology and innovations in education and healthcare. “With these investments on various fronts, the National Growth Fund is taking an important first step towards increasing our future prosperity,” says Hoekstra.
Powerful signal
On the advice of a committee headed by Hoekstra's predecessor Jeroen Dijsselbloem, an amount of 646 million euros will be allocated immediately, partly subject to conditions. The remaining 3,5 billion will be set aside, but the applicants still have to provide additional substantiation before the money is definitively awarded. In this first round, projects worth a total of more than 25 billion euros were nominated.
Marjan Rintel, the president of NS, calls the money for train and metro a powerful signal from The Hague. According to Rintel, it already shows ambition and guts. “With this, public transport has been chosen as a solution to major problems in the busiest areas in the Netherlands, such as building a million accessible homes and achieving the climate goals. Sustainable transport is an absolute requirement. Let these investments therefore be the starting shot for a new cabinet that is working on structural money for mobility. ”
