The municipality of Haarlem will actively work to increase the number of trains between Haarlem and Alkmaar on working days. A motion by Christian Union councilor Frank Visser was adopted by the city council on Thursday evening. To give extra strength to the lobby, the municipality has an amount of 30,000 euros available per year.
The fact that Visser got all factions, with the exception of the VVD, behind his plan was not only due to his passionate plea, but especially to its financial support. The Haarlem budget for the coming years includes the amount of 30,000 euros for the night train between Amsterdam and Haarlem. Because the night train is a success, the Dutch Railways will now pay for it themselves. So, according to Visser, the money can be spent on another project.
Visser: “You can think all kinds of things about market forces on the railways, but the fact is that the NS offers the opportunity to carry out work on behalf of third parties. We have also done this with the night train in the past. My proposal is to follow the same route here. The great thing is that we already have the financial cover.”
Haarlem cannot do it alone
There is currently a slow train between Haarlem and Alkmaar every half hour. The plan is to add a third and fourth train per hour on weekdays between the morning and evening rush hours. From 2025, the NS must run four trains per hour on the route during peak hours.
The costs are difficult to estimate, but Visser expects that this will entail “two tons to two million euros” in operating costs. That is why the province and other municipalities must also contribute along the route. “And perhaps even municipalities north of Alkmaar will want to contribute because of the connection to other routes,” Visser estimates.
“I realize that this is a long-term project”
The motion is known to the province, a spokesperson reported on Friday morning. The province is awaiting the official request. Deputy Jeroen Olthof spoke with NS CEO Wouter Koolmees last week about the new timetable. This shows that the intercity will not return during peak hours between Haarlem and Alkmaar in the coming years.
Critical questions
“During that conversation, the province asked critical questions about the new timetable,” reports a spokesperson for the province of North Holland. “The NS has indicated that it cannot change anything about the new timetable at this time. This has to do with the decreased number of travelers and the available staff and equipment. It has been agreed to regularly review the development of the timetable. This also includes the development of housing construction. The earliest date for this is April 2024.”
Councilor Frank Visser remains optimistic: “I realize that this is a long-term project. But the advantage is that we still have time to get other municipalities and the province on board.”