Dutch roads and rail not ready for large military transport, audit finds
The Netherlands needs at least €9.5bn to prepare its military corridors for wartime transport, the Algemene Rekenkamer says, and such transport would heavily disrupt everyday traffic.
Dutch roads and railways, especially bridges, are in many places not suitable for large military transports, the Algemene Rekenkamer concludes after an investigation. The audit office says the network is not ready for a war on the continent, although NATO agreements expect the Netherlands to play a big role.
The Rekenkamer says large-scale military transport in wartime would have major consequences for everyday traffic. It says at least €9.5bn is needed to meet all requirements for the military corridors, the routes used for such transport. Their exact routes are confidential.
The Rekenkamer says some vehicles with "exceptional dimensions" cannot currently use the corridors. Where they can, much of the infrastructure is due for renewal or replacement. Barbara Joziasse of the Rekenkamer said: "Outdated bridges already cause problems for freight traffic. That goes all the more for military equipment." She said politicians will have to make choices.
A shortfall that already exists
The corridor costs come on top of an existing shortfall for maintenance and construction of bridges, roads and rail. The cabinet puts that shortfall at €80bn, of which more than €20bn is already funded up to 2038.
On Friday the cabinet will announce which bridges and roads get priority for maintenance or replacement in the coming years.
Infrastructure Minister Karremans (VVD) says the cabinet wants large-scale, long-lasting military transport to run "as efficiently and unhindered as possible" in a war on the continent. Part of the information needed to refine the final costs is still "in motion" in Europe, he said. He will inform the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of parliament, further when there is more clarity.
Tweede Kamer
The House of Representatives, the lower and more powerful house of the Dutch parliament. Its 150 members are elected directly; it can amend bills and holds the cabinet to account.
Algemene Rekenkamer
The Netherlands Court of Audit is the country's national audit office, which examines how the government spends public money and whether its policies work as intended. It is independent of the government and reports its findings to parliament, which is why its investigations often lead to political debate. In this article it is the body that studied whether Dutch roads and railways can carry large military transports, and it concluded they are not yet ready.