Arriving safely and quickly
The Netherlands has a long tradition of transport. Located around the North Sea estuaries of the Rhine, Maas and Scheldt rivers, the country has become the gateway to Europe, especially since the abolition of Europe's internal borders. Its central position in European distribution also makes it an attractive location for international enterprises. The seaport of Rotterdam is the largest in the world, transhipping tens of millions of tonnes of goods per year. And Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is Europe's fourth largest airport for goods and passengers.

Crowded roads
Mobility has increased enormously since the 1980s, and there are now more than six million private cars on Dutch roads. The government is working to reduce road congestion and ensure the country’s future as a transport hub with access to major commercial centres.

Measures to combat congestion include extra lanes for traffic during the rush hour and electronic signs advising drivers of alternative routes. In the next few years, policy will aim mainly to use the existing infrastructure to the full, for instance by installing traffic lights to regulate access to motorways and by creating more but narrower traffic lanes. Efforts are also being made to reduce major bottlenecks. Various electronic systems have been introduced, and will become more important in the future.

Alternatives to the car
Mobility is essential to modern life, and cars are an essential part of it. But the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management also encourages alternative modes of transport. Together with public transport companies, it is working to provide a more efficient public transport system. Liberalisation will create new opportunities for bus and taxi operators, providing greater scope for competition.

One alternative mode of transport is the “train taxi”, which offers a shared service for train passengers at a fixed low fare. Regional taxis serve a similar purpose in less densely populated areas.

Cycling is still an important and popular mode of transport in the Netherlands. In the cities especially, bicycles are a cheap, healthy alternative to cars. They are also the fastest means of getting about. In addition, the government encourages car-sharing and park-and-ride schemes to help reduce car use. Slowly but surely, a European network of high-speed trains is taking shape. By 2007, the train journey from Amsterdam to Barcelona (via Rotterdam, Brussels and Paris) will take a mere seven hours.

Supertankers
The Dutch freight industry accounts for 6.5% of gross domestic product and a large share of the European market. For more than 30 years, Rotterdam has been the largest port in the world. It handles 30% of all seagoing goods loaded and unloaded in the EU. The port is constantly modernising to maintain its market position. Container terminals now dominate it, and a new deep channel has recently been cut between Rotterdam and the sea to provide access for ever-larger supertankers. The opening of the 160-km Betuwe Line for goods trains in 2006 will link Rotterdam with the European hinterland. The Netherlands' other major seaports are Amsterdam, Velsen/IJmuiden, Delfzijl, Eemshaven, Vlissingen, Terneuzen and Vlaardingen. Millions of tonnes of goods arrive in the Netherlands each year, largely by sea, road or inland waterway. Most are destined for the hinterland, chiefly Germany, and continue their journey mainly by barge or truck. Dutch goods transport companies are among the largest in the EU, accounting for 40% of goods carried by water and 25% of those carried by land.

Obstacles and safety
Safety is an important factor in goods transport. Increasingly stringent safety regulations apply to transport by air, water, rail and road, and the various inspectorates collaborate ever more closely to enforce them.

Wherever possible, high-risk facilities such as railway yards, tunnels and ports are located away from built-up areas. The Inspectorate for Transport, Public Works and Water Management is responsible for enforcing safety regulations. Special measures have also been introduced to improve road safety. An example is the compulsory blind-spot mirror for trucks, which gives drivers a better view of pedestrians and cyclists. A warning system has also been devised to alert truck drivers who are in danger of falling asleep. And finally, special techniques now make it possible to load trucks efficiently and prevent them from overturning.

Air transport
As well as Schiphol, the Netherlands has several other airports, such as Zestienhoven (Rotterdam) and Beek (Maastricht). Air travel is still increasing. The main airport, Schiphol, is of great economic importance. Its future and possible expansion are a subject of constant debate.

Any developments must take account of the many, often conflicting, interests at stake. Commercial interests, for instance, are often incompatible with the interests of local residents or environmental organisations. Regional airports are playing an increasingly important role.

Since the attacks in the USA on 11 September 2001, security measures have been increased and tightened not only at airports but also at air traffic control centres and in aircraft themselves. The Inspectorate for Transport is largely responsible for monitoring and enforcing safety regulations.

Water-bound transport
The Netherlands has an abundance of water, and for centuries the Dutch have relied on dykes and pumping stations to keep the sea and rivers in check. The country is known around the world for its Delta Project, dykes and reclaimed land.

Serious flooding in recent years, notably in 1993 and 1995, has forced the government to adopt new strategies. The high water levels are caused by global climate change, which will bring higher temperatures and more precipitation in the future. The sea level is also expected to rise by 85 centimetres over the next century.

Creating space for water is the keynote of the new policy. Land will be reserved in both urban and rural areas to build reservoirs for times of drought, but managed river catchment systems will also be in place to limit damage in times of emergency. The aim is to accommodate the natural flow of streams, rivers and the sea - and keep the Netherlands safe and dry.