Zeeland tunnel to become toll-free, saving drivers at least €5 each way
The Westerschelde tunnel between Zuid-Beveland and Zeeuws-Vlaanderen will become toll-free for motorists by 2025, the outgoing Cabinet announced on Monday. To cover the lost revenue from the toll collection in the coming years, the Cabinet is making 140 million euros available.
The outgoing Minister Mark Harbers of Infrastructure and Water Management and Zeeland Deputy Harry van der Maas signed an agreement on Monday in The Hague. The amount of 140 million euros covers the lost toll revenues until 2030. Harbers said that arrangements have also been made for the 2030-2033 period.
"This has been a long-cherished wish of the people of Zeeland, and it's great that we can now fulfill this wish in good collaboration with the province of Zeeland," Harbers said.
“This is good news for the Zeelanders who had to spend a lot of money for years to drive through the tunnel,” van der Maas said. “A toll-free Westerschelde tunnel is an important boost for the quality of life and economy of Zeeland,” he added.
The Westerschelde tunnel, opened in 2003 and designed only for road traffic, replaced car ferry services previously connecting Zeeuws-Vlaanderen, Walcheren, and Zuid-Beveland. A trip through the tunnel costs 5 euros for passenger cars, with discounts for frequent users and subscribers. The tunnel is used by over 21,000 vehicles daily.
No funds are yet available for making the tunnel toll-free for freight traffic. Trucks pay 25 euros to use the tunnel. The Cabinet and the province of Zeeland have agreed to work on resolving this issue.
Employers association VNO-NCW was pleased by the announcement but remarked that the tunnel should be free for trucks, too. Chairman Eric de Ruijsscher said that making it toll-free for trucks as well will result “in a robust North-South connection in Zeeland where you can continue driving between Ghent and Goes without interruptions.”
The organization added that the Northern corridor through Zeeland also needs to be addressed, including a robust Delta Road and a new Zeeland Bridge.
