Winsum mayor apologizes to farmer after train derailment

Winsum mayor Rinus Michels openly apologized to a farmer whose land will have to be used for the construction of an emergency road. That road is needed to avoid an unguarded railway crossing, where a train derailed on Friday injuring 18 people, NU.nl reports.

The mayor stated that an unjust impression was given that the family who owns the land is not cooperating in finding a solution. On Friday the mayor said he will consider legal steps if an agreement on a solution is not reached quickly. "That the family was put in a bad light because of my statemetns is unjustified. For this I offer my apologies to the family", Michels said on Wednesday.

Michels added that he hopes that the involved parties will soon come to a good solution so that the emergency road can be built.

On Friday a milk truck collided with an Arriva train at an unguarded rail crossing in Winsum. The train derailed and brought train traffic in the area to a standstill until Monday morning.