STAFFDEL KAMARCK DISCUSSES DUTCH APPROACHES TO TRAFFIC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 THE HAGUE 001630 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/WE H PASS TO SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS AND COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC WORKS E.O. 12356: N/A TAGS: SENV OREP PGOV ECON NL SUBJECT: STAFFDEL KAMARCK DISCUSSES DUTCH APPROACHES TO TRAFFIC CONGESTION THE HAGUE 00001630 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. SUMMARY. Staffdel Kamarck visited the Netherlands August 8-11 to discuss Dutch approaches to countering traffic congestion, including a new road usage tax scheme and the expansion of metro lines in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The delegation also focused on freight transport issues, with a visit to the port of Rotterdam, Europe's largest container processing port. This message has been cleared by Heideh Shahmoradi-Holley, U.S. Department of Transportation. END SUMMARY. ¶2. Jonathon Kamarck, Republican Clerk, Senate Subcommittee on Transportation Appropriations, led a delegation to the Netherlands August 8-11 for discussions with national and local Dutch transport officials on traffic congestion relief efforts and innovative approaches to countering congestion problems in the Netherlands. Other delegation members included Heideh Shahmoradi-Holley, Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for Governmental Affairs, U.S. Department of Transportation, Kelly Kolb, Associate Director, Governmental Affairs, U.S. Department of Transportation, Ellen Stein Beares, Professional Staff, Senate Subcommittee on Transportation Appropriations, Matthew McCardle, Professional Staff, Senate Subcommittee on Transportation Appropriations, James O'Keeffe, Senior Economist, Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, and Alexander Herrgott, Research Analyst, Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. ¶3. Robert Hijman, Senior Policy Advisor, Dutch Ministry of Transport, Public Works, and Water Management (MOT),briefed the delegation on different aspects of the so-called GONL Mobility Policy Document, which outlines Dutch national transport policy for the next 15 years. Joris Al, Managing Director, Transport and Navigation Department, Rijkswaterstaat, MOT, and Ronald Keus, Senior Policy Advisor, MOT, discussed road traffic issues, including a new road usage tax scheme that the GONL expects to introduce in phases beginning in 2011. Under the new system, vehicle owners would pay an annual road tax based on actual usage rather than the vehicle's purchase price, as is currently done. These officials noted the reasoning for the road pricing approach is two-fold. First, it optimizes the use of existing infrastructure to eliminate or minimize bottleneck sections of road. Secondly, it more fairly targets the direct users of the road system. Despite unsuccessful efforts by previous Transport Ministers, these officials were confident that new Transport Minister Camiel Eurlings had the political and public support needed to gain approval for the new system. ¶4. Rene Fennes, Head of International Relations, Directorate-General for Freight Transport and Aviation (DGTL) at the MOT, discussed general civil aviation issues with the delegation, noting that ensuring continued economic growth was a key factor underlying Dutch freight transport and aviation policy. Jos Nollet, Senior Policy Advisor, DGTL, discussed safety and air traffic, emphasizing that the limiting factor for aviation growth (and consequential congestion) in the Netherlands was not runway capacity, but environment, noise, and civil airspace limitations. Jeroen Muntinga, Senior Policy Advisor, DGTL, discussed freight transport aspects of the GONL's Mobility Policy Document, including the need for a long-term Dutch strategic policy to accommodate expected growth of freight transport through the Netherlands and to find solutions to combat congestion threatening the nation's economic growth. ¶5. During a visit to the Amsterdam and Rotterdam Public Transport Information Centers, city officials briefed the delegation on different construction methods and timetables for expanding the metro and commuter rail systems in these cities. Danny Spee, Policy Advisor, City of Amsterdam, discussed the development of a North-South Amsterdam Metro Line, noting that wet soil and legal issues remained the biggest challenges in constructing this new line, which was not expected to be operational for at least nine years. These officials stressed the importance of pressing forward with construction, as traffic congestion in Amsterdam remained a significant problem and as traffic was expected to continue to grow. Rene Wondergem, Communication Officer, Infracenter Rotterdam, briefed the delegation on the Randstad commuter rail system, the national ChipCard system (for simplified fare payment),and the development of Rotterdam Central Station. He explained how these developments are encouraging commuters to use the rail system instead of personal vehicle transport. ¶6. At Rotterdam's World Port Center, Rene Luijcx, Chief External Relations Officer and Member of the Board of the Port of Rotterdam, gave an overview of port security as well as the port's structure and expansion plans. He noted that Rotterdam is the second largest port in the world (in terms of size) with more than 378 million tons of cargo passing through it annually, of which almost 50 percent is THE HAGUE 00001630 002.2 OF 002 liquid cargo. Given an expected increase in future container transport, he said the port's new expansion at Maasvlakte 2 will be built to accommodate greater container and chemical transport. Port officials also gave a brief demonstration of the real-time vessel tracking capability of the port, noting that both port logistics and law enforcement personnel had secure access to this information. ¶7. NOTE: Rotterdam port stretches for nearly 30 miles and the port and industrial area covers 26,000 acres. Rotterdam is Europe's largest container processing port, although the majority of shipments are in bulk form. Rotterdam is Europe's most important port for oil and chemicals, iron ore, coal, food, and metals. Crude oil, oil products, and liquid chemicals together account for almost half of the total cargo transiting Rotterdam; five refineries are situated within the port and industrial complex. Liquid oil and petroleum products are transported throughout Europe through a comprehensive network of pipelines. END NOTE. GALLAGHER