News item | 16-09-2025 | 15:35
The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management will again take countless measures in 2026. So that the Netherlands remains accessible, where people and goods can easily from A to B. So that everyone can go to school or work safely. And so that our water becomes cleaner.
Today, Minister Robert Tieman and State Secretary Thierry Aartsen (both infrastructure and Waterstaat) announce that € 16.2 billion is available for their ministry in 2026. € 1.9 billion goes to waterworks, such as dikes, weirs and killings. In 2026, € 10.5 billion will go to Road and Waterways.
Keep the Netherlands accessible despite enormous maintenance task
Of that € 10.5 billion, € 5.6 billion is available for maintenance and renewal. This work is desperately needed to ensure that accessibility in the Netherlands remains up to standard via roads, rail and waterways. The need for transport is growing; We travel more and more to work, school and for days out. And also transporting goods to supply supermarkets and delivering packages, for example, ensure more pressure on the road. The track has also been used more and more intensively in recent decades.
Because much of our infrastructure is outdated, it is ready for major maintenance or innovation. In the coming years, many of our roads, waterworks and bridges will reach the end of their lifespan. This ensures an increasingly greater task when it comes to maintenance and renewal. In addition, our infrastructure must be resilient to sabotage and cyber attacks and are ready for the transport of military goods within the Netherlands and to the rest of Europe due to increasing geopolitical tensions.
Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management: “We will face the greatest maintenance task ever in the coming years. In the coming year we will invest heavily in the maintenance of our infrastructure, but there are sharp choices. There is not enough money to be able to do everything that is needed in the future. To keep the Netherlands available in the future, a lot of manpower and extra investments are needed.”
In the Coalition Agreement, a 10% discount on Urban Public Transport was agreed within the broad target payment (BDU). This is off the track before 2026. The € 110 million cut is being fully compensated by the government before 2026. In 2027, the government pays a third party.
Goods quickly and efficiently from A to B
The Netherlands is a crucial link in European freight transport. Goods go to the rest of Europe from the port of Rotterdam.
For truck drivers, there must be more safe resting places in both the short and long term, partly to give substance to European regulations. It is also important that there are sufficient facilities for drivers. A total of € 43 million has been made available for this.
With the Freight Transport IPG program (IPG), IenW focuses on the better use of existing infrastructure, combating disturbances in freight transport and preventing traffic jams. We also encourage companies to move freight transport, from the road to the water and the railway. A total of € 79 million is available for the IPG.
Safe to school and work
Many people depend on public transport to come to work, at school, at school, family or at a party. It is important that they come there safe, regardless of what time of the day they travel. And that staff can do their work safely. € 12 million is allocated for bodycams for NS employees and € 20 million for improving safety at stations.
“Everyone must be able to feel safe in public transport,” said State Secretary Thierry Aartsen. “Helaas is de verharding van de samenleving overal merkbaar, dus ook in het ov. De laatste jaren is er een toenemend aantal incidenten waarbij er sprake was van ernstige fysieke of verbale agressie. Vooral medewerkers in het ov krijgen hiermee te maken. Dat is onacceptabel. Het aantal incidenten moet omlaag. Je moet als ov-medewerker of reiziger altijd veilig kunnen zijn en je veilig kunnen voelen in de bus, trein, tram of metro en ook op of rondom haltes And stations.
Relatively many traffic accidents occur on N-roads. In the coming years, from a specific program for the Rijks-N roads, € 345 million will be available to make all kinds of N-roads safer. The spring memorandum already announced that € 115 million will be available for the N36, so that a roadway separation can be placed here on the most dangerous parts.
To reduce the regulatory pressure for SMEs, the mandatory kilometer registration for small companies is abolished. Now companies from 100 employees have to keep track of how many kilometers their employees travel. The border is raised to more than 250 employees.
Cleaner water
At the end of 2027, the Netherlands must comply with European rules for water quality, which is why € 275 million is being pulled out. For example, that money goes to the construction of nature -friendly banks or to fish passages. This improves the conditions for aquatic plants and animals and makes our water cleaner.