Did you know that you are already tracking better in North?

I was always under the impression that developments in rail infra were mainly concentrated around the Randstad and the middle of the country. Nothing could be further from the truth, however. By 2023, Spoorplan Noord-Nederland must be completed. A huge project that will ensure that travel opportunities by train in the north will increase significantly, creating faster connections within the region itself and to and from the Randstad. 

In addition to the fact that, in my view, the Northern Netherlands gains future-proofing through the numerous projects, my opinion is that making the North Netherlands more accessible creates opportunities to solve the housing problems plaguing the Randstad. Living in the Northern Netherlands and working in the Randstad, thanks to fast train connections, becomes attractive. We take you briefly on a journey through the North.

ProRail does not do it alone

Spoorplan Noord-Nederland consists of approximately twenty rail projects that together amount to an investment of 1 billion euros. The projects are being implemented by ProRail on behalf of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and the provinces of Friesland, Groningen, Drenthe, Overijssel and together with carriers NS and Arriva. The diversity of projects is great and ranges from track expansion, new stations to flyovers and sidings. Everything contributes to improving the accessibility of the north. Journeys can be made faster by using more trains, through better transfer options, thanks to new connections and making trains run faster. The new rail infrastructure is going to provide that.

A small sample of the projects

Between Groningen and Leeuwarden, there were two local trains and one express train per hour. With the addition of an extran express train, there are now two express trains and two local trains per direction, per hour. In addition to the extran express train, longer trains have begun to run, with more speed at some points. To do so safely, a number of level crossings were addressed. In Groningen, the level crossing at Paterwoldseweg was replaced by an underpass. The same happened in Hurdegaryp and at the level crossing at Goddeloze Singel. To further increase safety, a total of five private level crossings were closed on the route. Three unsecured level crossings are now secured with half crossing barriers. The extra express train and longer express trains during rush hour required adjustments to the tracks and platforms. These adjustments were not the same everywhere. In Feanwâlden, De Westereen, Buitenpost and Grijpskerk, for example, only the platforms were extended.

By order of the province of Drenthe, ProRail is doubling the track at Emmen Zuid station. Trains from both directions will soon be able to pass each other at the station, improving the timetable. Travel time between Emmen and Zwolle will soon be shorter. There will be an extra track and platform. The track between Zwolle and Emmen will be doubled over a length of 600 meters. This was already taken into account during the construction of the underpass in the Nieuw Amsterdamsestraat in 2010. Emmen Zuid station will get a second platform. Stairs will connect the platforms with the underpass. The new platform will have a waiting room in the same style as the waiting room on the current platform. The work will last until 2022.

Northern Netherlands rail plan lasts through 2023. Would you like to keep abreast of developments yourself? Then check out: prorail.nl/programs/railplan-north-netherlands   

Source consulted for this article: prorail.co.uk