Friday, 28 November 2014 - 12:00
Billion euro Eindhoven ring road axed
The Cabinet does not support the construction of a new ring road around Eindhoven. The Second Chamber does not want to give any money for the new ring road, which is also known as the Ruit.
The Cabinet had set aside 260 million euro as a contribution to the construction, which would cost a total of nearly 900 million euro. But Minister Melanie Schultz of Infrastructure said this week that they will follow the wish of the Chamber. The motion passed with a narrow majority.
Noord-Brabant is itself divided on the Ruit. The province supports the construction, but the city of Eindhoven is against the plan. According to the opponents, the damage that the construction would do to landscape, cultural history and recreation has not been sufficiently considered.
The province is severely disappointed and wants to consult with the Minister about the consequences. "The plan for the Ruit came about after many years of research and agreements on everyone's contribution. We see with regret that the agreements nevertheless are not evident." says a statement. The province remains convinced that the ring road is the best solution to maintain access to the Eindhoven region.