The municipal council in Assen has unanimously accepted a motion for the planned express train service between Groningen and the Randstad to add a stop in Assen.
Translation by Traci White
RTV Drenthe reports that the many parties in the Assen council were frustrated to hear that the pilot programme for an accelerated train service between Groningen and the western metropolitan area would bypass Drenthe.
“The north is more than just Groningen”, Labour party councillor Cindy Vorselman said. “We did not carry out extensive renovations to the Assen train station for nothing.” Alderperson Harmke Vlieg told RTV Drenthe that she was dismayed to hear Groningen mayor Peter den Oudsten describe the express train, which will not stop in Assen or Lelystad, as “in the interest of the north.” “We beg to differ. The north traditionally works together, and this is not a good plan.”
Vlieg says that she intends to contact NS and ProRail about the planned pilot, which is set to start in 2019 and would shorten the current travel time by 15 minutes. The city of Assen and the province of Drenthe want to advocate for Assen to be included on the train service: provincial representative Henk Brink also stated earlier this week that it was “unacceptable” to bypass Drenthe.
