Current transport policy in the Netherlands may be thought to be very unbalanced. Technically, there is a lot of activity but the economic requirements, which could allow technological innovations to cause positive results, are not being fulfilled. Technological efforts cannot therefore bring closer to finding a solution to the mobility problem. If high quality service is to be provided, a public transport system must embrace two main components: (1) high occupancy level: a high average number of passengers per train, tram or bus, that is to say high efficiency; and (2) high frequency: the customer never has to wait too long for transport, meaning high quality. In fact, these two requirements are rather contradictory and this is a dichotomy that may only be resolved if the number of people availing themselves of public transport are made to grow considerably. Under current conditions public transport companies obviously deter many passengers. The transport policy currently adhered by the Minister of Transport and Public Works also turns away many potential public transport passengers, and has created a great impasse. In fact, for car owners, using public transport has become generally much more costly than travelling by car. This deadlock must be ended as quickly as possible, in everybody's interests. (A)
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