Nitrogen ruins a lot of parties, but things seem to be going in the right direction.
The Netherlands is becoming fuller and fuller. More people join every year. We don't mean the images of planes full of immigrants where your grandmother has an opinion after two young women. No, the country is growing. The number of cars is also growing. Despite the enormous BPM that you have to pay on many cars (and other taxes to be able to drive), more and more cars are being added.
Since all those car owners pay an enormous amount of tax, you would think that the roads would be perfect and the road network would grow along with the number of cars. That is of course not the case, due to the attractive effect. Yet there are always enough projects to improve the flow. One is to connect the A15 to the A12.
Council of State
That plan has been on the shelf for years. If you are driving on the A15 and you want to go to Zevenaar (or across the border), you will find out that the highway suddenly becomes two-lane after the Rijssen junction and then stops. You can take the A235 at the Rijssen junction, but then you have to take a detour via Arnhem. It makes much more sense if the A15 continues to the A12. But yes, that is not possible because of… nitrogen!
![nitrogen](https://www.autoblog.nl/files/2024/03/links-extremisten-leggen-tesla-fabriek-stil-2024-1600-004.jpg)
The Council of State has made a ruling that has brought the project to a standstill again and the reason is once again nitrogen. Part of the road yet to be constructed goes straight through a nature reserve and that is of course not possible. There is a kind of barter deal that 6 farms must be bought out and cease operations, in order to compensate for the extra emissions from the highway.
Those seven nature reserves in Gelderland also include Natura 2000 areas, so it often becomes a little more difficult to push through a plan. Outgoing Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Mark Harbers now has 6 months to adjust the plan AGAIN and provide more information about the nitrogen situation. In this case it specifically concerns external netting.
One more nitrogen hurdle to go
By the way, some success has been achieved. The groups Cooperative Mobilization for the Environment, Stichting Milieuvrienden Duiven and Stichting Strijdbaar Angeren will not be celebrating, because all three had filed an objection, but this was declared unfounded by the Council of State. So there is still one hurdle to overcome.
![](https://www.autoblog.nl/files/2024/03/links-extremisten-leggen-tesla-fabriek-stil-2024-1600-002-1.jpg)
Given the extremely slow developments with the formation, it would not surprise us that Mark Harbers can personally open the extra stretch of highway.
Through: NOS
Image credits: Google Maps.
This article Court gives nitrogen priority, VVD at work first appeared on Autoblog.nl.
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