Traffic jams could reach 600km on Tuesday evening
Rijkswaterstaat warns of a "very heavy" rush hour on national roads on Tuesday evening, with heavy rain.
Rijkswaterstaat, the national roads and waterways agency, expects a "very heavy" (zeer zware) evening rush hour on Tuesday. It says traffic jams on national roads could total 600km.
On the first Tuesday evening after winter time began last year, jams totalled 490km. Rijkswaterstaat links this evening's expected crowds to the weather and the switch to winter time.
Winter time (wintertijd) began this weekend, when the clocks went back, so it now gets dark earlier. A spokesperson for the motoring organisation ANWB says the second half of the rush hour now falls in the dark: "People still have to get used to that." Drivers then tend to keep more distance, which can slow traffic and cause extra jams.
The ANWB also expects a busy evening but does not want to call it exceptional. "Tuesday evenings are very busy anyway," the spokesperson says.
Rijkswaterstaat advises road users to check the route planner beforehand. How busy it gets also depends on any accidents or other incidents.
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Rijkswaterstaat
Rijkswaterstaat is the Dutch national agency for roads and waterways, the executive body of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. It builds, maintains and manages the national motorways and main roads, the major waterways, locks, bridges and tunnels, and the main flood defences. It also runs the traffic management and traffic information systems on the national road network, which is why it issues warnings about traffic jams and road works.
ANWB (Algemene Nederlandsche Wielrijders-Bond)
The Dutch motoring and cycling association. It offers roadside assistance, travel services and insurance, tests products such as child car seats, and speaks for road users.