The residents of the Twente region in the province of Overijssel and the municipality of Emmen have expressed a strong interest in a better train connection to Groningen.
Translation by Traci White
According to RTV Drenthe, the municipality of Emmen in Drenthe has long hoped for a better connection between the city and Groningen (via Veendam.) That plan is an official part of the local government’s agenda for the period between 2018 and 2022.
RTV Oost reports that there was a train station in the town of Bergentheim in Twente until the 1970s because of the regional textile industry. That station offered a direct connection to Groningen, but closed in 1975. A petition to reopen the station has gotten more than 3,300 signatures, which is nearly the entire population of the town.
Younger citizens from the region are especially interested in the connection, either because they study in Groningen or want to do so in the future. It currently takes two and a half hours to travel from Groningen to Twente, even though the province borders Drenthe and Friesland. Local residents also point out that an improved rail service would increase job opportunities in the area.
Photo source: Wikipedia
