More disruptions ahead for Dutch rail passengers this year, warns ProRail

Dutch train travelers should be prepared for more disruptions on the tracks, said ProRail on Thursday. The railroad infrastructure firm made the comments as part of its annual report for 2023.

The first months of this year have not been promising for train travelers. The results were so disappointing that ProRail could receive a fine if improvements are not made. The railway manager is working "hard to determine what measures are necessary."

ProRail admitted that the results have been substandard this year and last year. "We think this is very irritating for our customers. They should be able to rely on a trustworthy service. That needs to change, which is why we have prioritized improvement measures from the start of 2024." The company added that they saw minor improvements in the on-time performance of passenger trains between March and the beginning of April.

The year report shows that ProRail did more work last year than before. Work was carried out to remove or replace unguarded railway crossings, reducing sound around the railways, and more sustainable business operations.

Over 400 projects are planned for the railways in 2024. According to ProRail CEO John Voppen, most of the rail networks date from just after the Second World War and need urgent maintenance. "At the same time, we want to expand the rail network for more and better train traffic."

An important cause of railroad disruptions on are temporary speed restrictions that come into effect when problems are found along the track. "We will then strive to carry out these repairs more quickly. If that is not possible, we will consult with the carrier to decide if we will temporarily include the speed restrictions in the timetable." Two more of these speed restrictions are planned on the main rail network in June.

In the first months of 2024, the number of disruptions also increased due to incidents that ProRail could not predict, such as traffic collisions, people spotted on the track and animals on the railroad. ProRail is investigating what led to the increase, and is considering installing more speed cameras.

The number of serious disruptions in the first months of this year rose to 156. It was previously agreed that no more than 520 of these types of disruptions may occur on an annual basis, beginning in 2024. A violation could lead to a fine.

Members of Parliament sitting in the Tweede Kamer said they want to know how rail performance can be improved before the summer. ProRail is currently in discussions with the NS about this.