Hurry to extend the North-South line to Schiphol and Hoofddorp

The next cabinet would do well to prioritise extending the North-South line. This is crucial for Amsterdam's business climate and solves problems threatening the Dutch economy. The increasing congestion in public transport in the Amsterdam region hinders business and threatens quality education, healthcare and cultural life.

The Amsterdam College's measures to reduce car use are putting additional pressure on public transport, which threatens the city's accessibility. For people who cannot find affordable housing in Amsterdam, it is becoming less and less attractive to work there in healthcare or education. This is already a problem, and failure to find a solution will have major social consequences. Even a trip from the suburban area to the cultural temples of the capital will become a perilous undertaking.

Extending the North-South line will solve congestion. If more travellers and tourists travel by metro instead of the current Sprinters, it will free up space in the Schiphol Tunnel for additional (inter)national train connections. In addition, Schiphol's position can be strengthened. Thus, the expansion of the metro network is of regional and national importance.

A decision on this needs to be made soon, and agreements made on how to finance it. Schiphol, the Transport Region, Amsterdam, Haarlemmermeer, North Holland, KLM, and NS have already offered to jointly contribute over a billion euros. The total cost will be substantial, but it will certainly outweigh the damage to businesses and residents if Amsterdam becomes further congested.