The plans of the province and the municipality of Vught to make the N65 safer were completely destroyed by the State Council. Too little research has been done on the consequences for natural areas in the area if the road were to be renewed. A large number of environmental and naturalist organizations had warned the State Council of this.
Many objections against the plans were declared unfounded by the State Council, according to the ruling. But the objection that the Vught Nature and Environment Group has advanced on damage from nitrogen has been declared well founded. He was concerned that the Natura2000, Loonse-en Drunense Duinen and Leemkuilen areas would be affected by nitrogen emissions during the conversion and use of N65. The State Council agrees with them. From the researches that have been done on this matter, it cannot be concluded that nature will not be harmed.
The gas station owner is right
There are still some objectors who have been right by the Council of State. A gas station attendant is right, who fears he will no longer have customers if the road is reconverted. Council needs to conduct better business economics research on the consequences of road reconstruction. It also needs to be examined whether Vught’s Boslaan is capable of carrying the future increased load. Finally, the plans must specify how the obligation to compensate for felled trees will be fulfilled.
Road safety
The road between Tilburg and Den Bosch is an important access route for the municipalities of Vught and Oisterwijk. But traffic is increasingly unable to pass properly and road safety also leaves much to be desired.
That is why the province, together with Rijk and the municipality of Vught, wanted to allocate 145 million to rebuild the road between Vught and Haaren. Level crossings must be removed. The road will need to be deepened at various points and roundabouts will be built above it to allow local traffic to cross the road. There will also be a fast cycle path and a parallel road for local traffic.
New urban plan
If the Council of State cancels a master plan, the municipality has to start over with a new master plan for the conversion of the N65. Since everyone can also talk again, this means that the N65 conversion will still take years. The advantage is that the Council of State has indicated exactly which exceptions it considers founded and which unfounded. The municipality can already take this into account in the new plans.
Railway renewal can continue
The Council of State today also pronounced itself on the renewal of the route between Meteren and Boxtel. Most of these objections were declared unfounded. Plans to move from three to four runways between Den Bosch and Vught can therefore continue. The construction of a sunken container for the railway in Vught can also be started. Many railway residents in Den Bosch had objected to the State Council, mainly due to the expected noise and vibration nuisance. They expect that doubling the track will have negative consequences for their living environment.
