GroenLinks is grateful that minister Cramer no longer sees any benefit in the construction of a new motorway through Amelisweerd, albeit strange that she has nevertheless commissioned research into doing exactly that. Meanwhile, what seems to be happening is taking a remarkably similar shape to events surrounding earlier plans to built the A6-A9 route through the Naardermeer.
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There too the cabinet set its sights on a motorway straight thought unspoilt countryside. Yes nature was saved eventually; however, the residents living alongside existing routes, like Diemen for example, are still looking over their shoulders. Broadening the existing routes would place the quality of their surroundings under even more pressure.
Now that minister Cramer has dismissed plans for a motorway through the natural countryside, GroenLinks wishes to know whether an alternative route through the residential housing areas at Leidscherijn is in the pipeline or, as may be the case, has even being considered.
GroenLinks would furthermore like to see real consideration of plans to widen existing routes currently surrounding Utrecht as an acceptable alternative. The residential surroundings of people living adjacent to those routes are no less important than that of unspoilt, specially-protected areas. GroenLinks would like to see serious consideration of methods to restrict the unfettered expansion of automobile congestion rather than merely facilitating it. They therefore respectfully ask that the cabinet first explore the benefits of implementing a kilometre-levy, making substantial investments in public transport and increasing opportunities to facilitate employees to work from home.
Kees Vendrik
Femke Halsema