RET

Employees of various sectors are striking for better pensions and to freeze the retirement age at 66 throughout the Netherlands on Monday. The first and most disrupting strike was in public transit between 6:00 a.m. and 7:06 a.m. During that time no NS trains were running, as well as no trams, subways and buses in Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam.

Subway station Stadhuis in Rotterdam will be closed for at least two and a half weeks after asbestos was found there on Tuesday. The subway between Rotterdam Central Station and Beurs may start running again sooner, but then it won't stop at Stadhuis, Rotterdam transport company RET said, RTV Rijnmond reports.

Nine people were injured in a rear-end collision between two trams on Dwasdijk in Rotterdam on Sunday afternoon.

One victim sustained a head injury, according to ANP. The others had neck complaints, among other things. Four people were taken to hospital for examination. One was referred to a GP. And the other four were treated by paramedics at the scene.

The collision involved tram 23 and the Feyenoord tram. The authorities are investigating how the accident happened. 

On December 29th, an experiment will start with running night subways in Rotterdam and its surrounding areas. For one year, transit company RET will run subways on all lines for an hour longer on Fridays and Saturdays. This means that the last subway will leave Rotterdam at 1:30 a.m., AD reports.

Rotterdam public transport company RET denied the PVV and Geert Wilders' request to wrap anti-Islam banners around the city's trams. "We are a public transport company and politically neutral", a spokesperson said to NOS. According to the spokesperson, political messages on trams and buses does not suit the RET.

On Thursday morning Wilders posted a photo of the tram wraps on Twitter saying that he offered it to the RET. The wraps show a photo of Wilders and the slogan "Stop Islam". 

The next Dutch government should include a Minister for Mobility, who must focus on improving the connection in and between cities to prevent a further increase in traffic jams and accidents, according to a manifest set up by a coalition consisting of seven major public transporters and car companies, NOS reports. 

Vandalism in Rotterdam around New Year's cost the municipality at least half a million euros. This includes some 340 thousand euros and damages and costs in cleanup and repairs

Transporter RET launched an experiment with music and scents in subway stations in Rotterdam this week. The idea is that more pleasant surroundings will lead to calmer commuters.

A conductor working for the Rotterdam transport company RET got kicked in the face on Eendracthsplein subway station on Monday afternoon. Three people were arrested after the incident.

The City Region of Rotterdam is considering limiting advertisements on buses as well as trams.

A student from Rotterdam, Marlies, has become the center of a national discussion about what Rotterdam commuters are viewing as an absurd new ruling on RET trams. For consuming a sandwich in the metro, you could incur a fine of €100.