Builders raise alarm over delay in infrastructure maintenance: ‘Netherlands’ accessibility is at risk’ | Financial

“This case is not an isolated case and we view it with suspicion. The Van Brienenoord Bridge is now a metaphor for a stagnant Holland, drowned in bureaucracy,” says leader Doekle Terpstra of Techniek Nederland. Hundreds of locks, bridges and viaducts will have to be renovated in the coming years, including numerous technical installations Much of it was built shortly after 1950 and requires urgent maintenance and renovation work, with research institute TNO predicting costs will rise to €3.7 billion a year by 2030.

“The project will probably be split for the Van Brienenoord Bridge, but we need to act more decisively with the Market parts on one side and Rijkswaterstaat on the other. It will take an effort on both sides to work more closely together and share risks, but in this case we will probably get more action than we currently do. Now nothing happens anymore, because no market player wants to register anymore. As a country we are falling behind,” Terpstra said.

“Necessary knowledge disappears”

Bouwend Nederland says that “structurally too little money” has been allocated for the replacement and renovation of the bridges and locks, says a spokesperson for Bouwend Nederland. “The longer it is postponed, the higher the costs become and the greater the risk of inconvenience and unexpected closures for road users. Directors should no longer put this off.” The construction and installations sector is calling on the new government to take rapid steps. “This means less bureaucracy and more money. The new government must invest a lot, otherwise our country will remain stuck,” says Terpstra. TNO had previously supported an “infrastructure fund”.

The increase in raw material prices also hinders the renewal of infrastructure in the Netherlands. For example, after the war in Ukraine, steel became more expensive, which means that the cost of the steel of the Van Brienenoord Bridge suddenly looks very different. “Projects are often budgeted years in advance, which is why Rijkswaterstaat is now making mistakes with price increases,” reports an insider.

Another point is the need for regulation, for example strict nitrogen standards or the aim to exclude all risks in advance. There have been tensions between Rijkswaterstaat and road and water developers over tenders for years. Until a few years ago they fought among themselves to win a project, often at the lowest price. This sometimes led to huge losses. “I only see one solution to execute orders that are predictable for the government and cost-effective for the market. This is in an alliance, so you can inform the customer about price and market changes timely with an open book. It will take ten years before this approach is embraced by politicians,” says CEO Alfred Vos of VolkerWessels, our country’s second largest contractor.

“It’s to the detriment of the economy”

Bouwend Nederland argues that “realistic cooperation with fair distribution of risk” is the way forward. “This is the deciding factor when registering.” Rijkswaterstaat agrees. “We have to work out a new working method together with the market, which must be implemented efficiently,” a spokesperson said. Terpstra: “If we don’t keep up with infrastructure, it will be to the detriment of our economy. Every euro invested in infrastructure also generates significant additional economic activity.”

2024-01-24 05:00:00
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