News item | 17-03-2023 | 3:30 pm
Good accessibility is a precondition for a society in which every Dutch person can participate. We go to work, family, friends or the sports club by road, rail, bicycle or public transport. And our supermarkets and healthcare institutions are supplied. To achieve accessibility for everyone, in the countryside or in the city, the cabinet has established a number of clear starting points. This is stated in the Mobility 2050 Outline Memorandum, approved by the Council of Ministers on the recommendation of Minister Harbers and State Secretary Heijnen of Infrastructure and Water Management.
Accessibility for everyone
It sounds logical. Without good accessibility, people are literally and figuratively nowhere. The Dutch roads, railways and cycle paths and waterways are in good condition. Our ports and airports are important international hubs. At the same time, we are running up against limits with our infrastructure. With the growth of the population and the economy, the need for mobility also grows. However, the space to expand our infrastructure is limited, both physically and financially. The Netherlands is a country where every square centimeter of space is used. And where we want good accessibility and a clean and healthy environment in which to live. That requires clear choices.
Minister Harbers: “Accessibility is a right for every Dutch person. Whether you live in the city or far beyond, you must be able to get everywhere in the Netherlands. With a growing population and a growing economy, we will need every conceivable means of transport in the coming years; from the car to the train, and from the shared bicycle to the truck. People all want to move forward, and each in their own way. We want to meet that need, because accessibility is a condition for a country where life is nice.”
State Secretary Heijnen: “The social function of mobility deserves more attention and ambition. Whether people can easily access facilities, their work, friends or family determines whether they can participate in society. Accessibility should be just as basic a right as education. We therefore have to take a smart look at which solution fits best in which place, and dare to look beyond our noses. This outline memorandum is a good basis for that.”
Clear starting points
The government underlines the importance of good accessibility for everyone. A starting point is that accessibility will weigh more heavily in decisions about facilities that are of vital importance to people. For example, when deciding on the location of a new school, hospital, residential area, or office building where many people work. To make this concrete, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management is working on integrated accessibility goals. These goals can be used to indicate for residential areas and facilities how easily accessible they should be. Another starting point is that more attention is paid to area-oriented solutions, together with local and regional authorities. After all, very different forms of mobility may be required in Zeeland than in Gelderland or South Holland to guarantee the same accessibility. Safety, a healthy living environment, nature and sustainability are always important conditions.
Continue to work
Minister Harbers and State Secretary Heijnen will discuss the mobility vision with the House of Representatives on 30 March. Based on this, they will continue working on an action program to implement the main points.