Sep 26, 2023 at 11:38 PM Update: 13 minutes ago
The NS must reconsider the controversial rush hour charge and come up with alternatives. Outgoing State Secretary Vivianne Heijnen (Infrastructure) does leave the door ajar for the possibility of charging different prices at different times. The House is not convinced.
The NS wants to make travel more expensive during rush hour, because otherwise trains would become far too full. The carrier hopes that travelers who can also travel outside rush hour will do so if a ticket is cheaper.
The plan led to a storm of criticism from Parliament. So Heijnen had no choice but to blow the whistle back on the NS. On Tuesday evening, she said in a debate that an external party will assess the NS’s alternative plans. In future, the carrier may only introduce new rates with the approval of the cabinet and the House of Representatives. And there will be no rush hour tax at all before 2026.
Moreover, according to Heijnen, variable rates can work well. But then cheaper tickets at quieter times should also be an option.
Despite the tightening, the House is not yet confident that the rush hour tax will really be off the table. The MPs also wonder whether they will really have the final say in the future.
NS still supports the levy
NS CEO Wouter Koolmees said on Monday during a briefing session in Parliament that he still supported the levy. However, he believes that travelers who really have to travel during rush hour should receive compensation. The company wants to talk about this with politicians and employers.
According to Koolmees, train tickets will actually become cheaper for most travelers, because the peak hour charge can reduce prices by a sixth outside peak hours.
The outgoing cabinet is currently making new agreements with the NS for the period 2025-2033, because the current agreement (the concession) expires at the end of next year. They talk about, among other things, the rush hour tax.
Image: ANP
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2023-09-27 05:56:05
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