On Wednesday evening, hay bales were set on fire again along highways in the country. This happened along the A50 at Apeldoorn, the A2 at Breukelen and the A28 at Meppel. The fires are part of the farmers’ protests. The A1 at Voorst in the direction of Apeldoorn may remain closed until Thursday morning due to rubbish dumped on the road by farmers.
Rijkswaterstaat has not yet been able to find contractors who want to clean up the hay, manure and asbestos on the A1. Several contractor employees were intimidated on Wednesday. According to a spokesperson for Rijkswaterstaat, they withdrew after the threats. Contractors have also been intimidated in other places.
Together with the safety region, Rijkswaterstaat is looking for a contractor who is willing to clean up the mess. Among other things, material containing asbestos has to be removed, which requires a specialized company.
The waste was dumped on the road Wednesday morning. Earlier in the day, one lane was open and traffic was able to drive past the waste. But because waste ended up on the other lane as a result, the road has been completely closed as a precaution, according to Rijkswaterstaat. Traffic can detour via Zwolle on the A35 and A28, advises the ANWB.
Road users should take into account that the road is also closed during the morning rush hour, Rijkswaterstaat reports. They are advised to check the traffic information carefully before setting out on the road.
Three lanes closed on the A28
On the A28 between Zwolle and Groningen, three lanes are closed at Nieuwleusen. There has been rubbish all day on the road that no one wants to clean up.
On Wednesday morning, straw bales, waste and materials containing asbestos were set on fire on several highways. No one had been arrested as of Wednesday afternoon. Earlier in the day, police said it would be “difficult” to track down the arsonists.
The police are also following online messages aimed at companies that are helping to clean up the mess of the blockades on Wednesday. There may be incitement and that is punishable, according to the police and the Public Prosecution Service.
Because of the blockades, four security regions in the east of the country, Rijkswaterstaat and the police in the east of the Netherlands, appealed to farmers’ activists to stop unsafe actions on Wednesday.