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The World’s Largest Bicycle Parking Lot Just Opened in Utrecht

Kavana Desai
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The World’s Largest Bicycle Parking Lot Just Opened in Utrecht

The Netherlands makes it very easy to commute when you’re on a bike, but that also means that there are a lot of people fighting for parking spots. Well, we have some good news for you: Utrecht just beat out Tokyo for having the largest bicycle parking garage. It has 12,656 parking spaces and it just opened today at Utrecht Central Station, reports Trouw.

With this parking garage, the total number of parking spots around Utrecht Central Station brings it up to 22,000 spaces. ProRail says that we need at least 30,000 but we’re slowly reaching that number!

Image by Juliane Lutz from Pixabay

Being spread across three floors, this garage is the solution for anybody who needs to rush through Utrecht. And I mean anybody! They have made it easy for cyclists with a disability to be able to park right next to the main cycle path.

They also have slow ramps to help out anyone trying to get to the first floor or basement. Additionally, they’ve made sure that it is a very well lit garage, with ample security like cameras installed everywhere to make sure everyone feels safe to use it.

How much will it cost?

So, we have even more good news! It’s free to park there for the first 24 hours, after which it costs only 1.25 euros per day. A lot more space, cheap prices, and a safe garage. What more could you ask for?

Feature Image Source: Juliane Lutz from Pixabay

World’s Largest and Most Powerful Offshore Wind Turbine to be Installed in Rotterdam

Kavana Desai
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World’s Largest and Most Powerful Offshore Wind Turbine to be Installed in Rotterdam

Rotterdam is ready for a test run of the most powerful wind turbine in the world at Maasvlakte (much, much, much larger than the one in the image above). GE Renewable Energy and Future Wind (GE) signed an agreement earlier this year to cover a 5-year testing period and a 15-year full service and maintenance team. 

GE is a joint venture between Pondera Development and SIF Holding Nederland. The wind turbine will be installed at SIF’s building site on the coast for the testing period.

It is definitely going to be much larger than this one. Image by Erich Westendarp from Pixabay

What’s so great about the Haliade-X?

The special thing about the Haliade-X 12 MW is that it is modelled to be installed at sea. This is because the wind blows harder, and more often out at sea, thus having the capacity to generate more energy. It is also designed to run if the winds are not too strong.

According to NOS, GE expect it to “generate 45% more energy than the current most powerful windmill”. With each of the vanes reaching a length of 107m, strong winds will help generate enough energy to power around 16,000 homes. The Halide-X will be 260m high, which is almost as high as the Eiffel Tower!

First step towards more powerful wind turbines

Extensive research will be extensively carried out by TNO to figure out how to make more of these wind turbines a possibility. Larger wind turbines are able to generate more energy at lower costs.

They are not interested in only making huge wind turbines but also on “developing expertise on wind farms and on ways of integrating them into our rapidly changing energy system”. By 2030, they want to have the capacity to install at least 11.5 GW at sea, and they believe wind turbines like the Haliade-X will make this vision a reality.

We hope they can indeed accomplish this goal! Learning and watching people make great steps towards a more sustainable future is very satisfying to witness as more governments are taking the initiative. This project is a great step towards that and is even more exciting to watch it happen in Rotterdam. 

Feature Image: Erich Westendarp from Pixabay

PM Rutte at Lowlands; Festival a Success Despite Bad Weather

Kavana Desai
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PM Rutte at Lowlands; Festival a Success Despite Bad Weather

Lowlands was all set to become wetlands this last weekend, but it looks like people still had a blast! The weather forecast predicted that festival-goers would have to go well-equipped with their rain gear and splash around in puddles. However, Eric van Eerdenburg, the director, said that it was still a massive success.

Even Prime Minister Rutte was there at Villa Lowlands! This is the first time that a politician of the highest office has attended a festival.

When the bad weather first came on the radar, a lot of people sold their tickets to avoid a disappointing experience. But Eerdenburg told RTLNieuws that only a total of 7500 tickets were sold through Ticketswap. Last year, 1500 less tickets were resold.

He said that there was some rain, but there were “no major problems”. The festival-goers seemed not to have minded because twitter is abuzz with how amazing it still turned out to be. The sun did make an appearance sporadically, so it was not a total loss.

Were you one of the festival-goers? Did you spot the prime minister around in his typical Rutte fashion? Or did you sell your ticket for half its price? We hope no-one is experiencing FOMO right now! What else did you get up to this weekend? Let us know in the comments below!

Feature Image: Pixabay by Asam801

Great News! More Trains are Coming (But so are More Passengers!)

Samantha Dixon 🇦🇺
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Great News! More Trains are Coming (But so are More Passengers!)

Hallelulujah! A brand-spanking new train timetable is on its way just in time for Christmas! Come December, there will be more intercity and sprinter trains sitting festively wrapped under your tree. 

Not only will there be more trains, but ProRail are doubling down on their planning techniques to get the maximum result. Instead of scheduling to the minute, they will begin scheduling in ten second slots after a successful trial at Utrecht Centraal. That means instead of a train departing at 10:15pm it will leave at 10:15:20.

What new trains will run?

ProRail laboured over the new timetable for months and released the details today ready to take effect in December, according to NOS. Those heading between Amersfoort and Utrecht will rejoice to discover an extra two intercity trains per hour gracing their timetable, bringing the total up to six per hour. Eindhoven and Dordrecht have a similar situation.

Over summer the train between Haarlem and Zandvoort will also up the ante, while those travelling on sprinters between Amersfoort and Harderwijk will also benefit from an increase.

Why are they increasing the number of trains?

Dutch Railways (NS) is popular. So popular that they more than doubled their maximum expected growth of passenger kilometres on railways, growing by 4.6 percent instead of 1.9 percent.

Original data showed the railway tracks could be completely full by 2030, but NS and ProRail now fear that we’ll reach this by 2027 instead.

What else are they doing to fix it?

Coming in 2020 will also be extra-long freight trains of over 740 meters, over the average 650 meters. In comparison, the longest passenger trains are around 390 meters. This will allow more transport of goods by rail. (Goods?! We love goods!)

What do you think of the rail changes? Will you benefit from them? Let us know in the comments below!

Feature Image: NS

Too Many Travellers on Dutch Trains and it Might Only Get Busier

Kavana Desai
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Too Many Travellers on Dutch Trains and it Might Only Get Busier

Even though all of us complain about how much trouble we have with the Dutch railways, there’s no way we could avoid taking them because we have places to be and things to do. This is reflected in the growth of the number of travellers using them, which is faster than ProRail expected.

The latest figures show us that the number of passengers has grown by 4.6%. With growth rate increasing fast, the officials are saying that it will not be possible to extend the timetables and trains from 2027, reports NOS.

According to Roger van Boxtel, the NS chief executive, the Dutch need more trains, and they need them quick! “Now that the rail ceiling is approaching early, we urgently need more capacity to be able to run more trains,” he explained. “NS is, therefore, arguing, together with other transport companies, that the budget for ProRail should be made available sooner to resolve bottlenecks in the infrastructure for 2027.”

Where is the maximum growth seen?

Well, it’s hardly a surprise to see that the highest growth rate is in the Randstad. Major stations like Rotterdam Centraal, Schiphol Airport, and Leiden Centraal are seeing a higher growth rate than the national average. It’s getting so busy that it’s getting harder to find a seat during rush hour, so you may have to be prepared to fight the crowd for a place to sit.

Do you use the Dutch railways often to commute for work or otherwise? Have you noticed this increase in crowds on the tracks? Let us know in the comments below!

The Dutch are Living Longer – But Only if They’re Educated

Samantha Dixon 🇦🇺
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The Dutch are Living Longer – But Only if They’re Educated

New figures from Statistics Netherlands show that those living in the land of the tall people are starting to stretch their lifespans too. But (and this is a big but) only if they are educated. Those living in the lowlands that didn’t go to university can expect a shorter lifespan to their higher-educated counterparts. Sorry, we don’t make the rules ?‍♀️

Statistics Netherlands drew the conclusion after comparing the life expectancy of Dutch people in the past four years with the prior 2011-2015 period.

The agency found that the lifespan of those without a university education has remained stagnant over recent years, while those that spent some years studying increased.

The girls have it

We have good news for our female sisters who typically live longer than men regardless of education (girl power!). According to the study, educated females will live about four years longer than their less-educated female counterparts. Highly educated women who are currently 65 years old still have an average of almost 25 years to live. Lower educated women of 65 have ‘only’ 20 years left to live.

For the men, those currently aged 65 that are highly educated can expect to keep banging on for another 22 years, but males with less education will only go for another 17.

Both males and females have added about one year to the gap between lower and higher educated on previous studies.

Why such a difference?

Statistics Netherlands said they did not study the reasons for the difference in lifespans, but said it could be due to lifestyle factors.

“We do know that a number of factors play a role in life expectancy, especially the way people live. A healthy lifestyle can determine life expectancy,” said a spokesperson to RTL Nieuws.

“People with a higher educational level lead a healthier lifestyle than those with a lower educational level. When you think of things like smoking and being overweight, we see that more often among lower educated people.”

What do you think of the reasoning for the gap in lifespans? Let us know in the comments below!

Feature Image: Matthias Zomer on Pexels.

Dutch Royal Family in Mourning as Princess Christina Passes Away

Samantha Dixon 🇦🇺
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Dutch Royal Family in Mourning as Princess Christina Passes Away

Sad news from the Dutch royal family today as they announce the passing of 72-year-old Princess Christina. The Princess had suffered from bone cancer for several years and passed away in the Noordeinde Palace complex in The Hague earlier this morning. 

A private ceremony will be conducted at Noordeinde Palace in the Fagel’s Garden Pavilion, allowing close family and friends to pay their last respects. Her remains will then be cremated in private.

Who Was Princess Christina?

Princess Christina is the fourth daughter of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard and the younger sister of Princess Beatrix. She dedicated her life to teaching vocal therapy in Italy and New York.

While her first name was Marijke, she began to use her second name Christina in 1963. She was married to Jorge Guillermo in 1975 and had three children: Bernardo, Nicolas, and Juliana.

Her mother, Princess Juliana, was infected with rubella during her pregnancy, causing Princess Christina to suffer from poor eyesight for her lifetime.

How will she be remembered?

A condolence register has been opened by the family. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima said they were saddened by the her death.

“Christina was a striking personality with a warm heart,” they wrote via the Koninklijk Huis Twitter. “With her musical drive and talent she managed to touch many. We cherish the many beautiful memories of her.”

Feature Image: Harry Pot / Anefo [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons

Nearly No Trains are Running to The Hague this Thursday till Monday

Freya Sawbridge
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Nearly No Trains are Running to The Hague this Thursday till Monday

Are you planning on going against the grain and visiting Scheveningen during the rain this weekend?  Well, you’ll have to put your plans on hold or make alternative arrangements because maintenance is being carried at the railroad tracks around  The Hague and almost no trains are running around there. 

Disruptions near The Hague

From Thursday 15 to Sunday 18 August there will be track maintenance in between The Hague Central Station and The Hague HS which means no trains will be running between those stations.

Basically nothing will run near The Hague HS, so if you’re planning a trip to Amsterdam from Delft or Rotterdam than this will fudge up your situation too.

But fear not, the bus timetable has been adjusted to accommodate travellers.

Google maps pretty much tells you everything these days but you’ll have to travel via Rotterdam or Utrecht if you’re from the south and are heading north. We know it’s hard to figure out, we’re struggling too, even when you can understand Dutch it’s near impossible to say what the fudge is exactly going on.

To travel to the Hague you will need to take the bus to the Hague HS and then catch the bus for the rest of the journey. Weirdly, there are still some trains running to The Hague CS every now and then, a sprinter here and there, at least from Leiden. So it also seems you’re still able to reach Schiphol from The Hague CS by train (but definitely not from HS).

Anyways, take some more time then usual. Changing routes means delays of 15-45 minutes could be added onto your journey but make sure you check the NS site to see all route changes.

If you would like to know more about rail track renovation projects being carried out by ProRail then go to ProRail’s website. 

Happy travelling people!

Amsterdam Mayor Writes Letter Explaining Son’s Arrest and Addresses Accusations of a “Cover-Up”

Freya Sawbridge
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Amsterdam Mayor Writes Letter Explaining Son’s Arrest and Addresses Accusations of a “Cover-Up”

The son of Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema was arrested last month after being caught breaking and entering a houseboat. Halsema has written an open letter to give her side of the story and criticizes the Telegraaf for running a story on the incident that wrongly convicts her underaged son. 

Armed intruder or a silly mistake? What’s going on here in Amsterdam?

The Crime

The Telegraaf wrote that Halsema’s 15-year-son and his friend broke into a houseboat in mid-July during a burglary. They were chased and caught by police and found to be carrying two (fake) knives, an alarm pistol was also found along their escape route. The investigation is still ongoing.

Halsema Defends Son

In a public letter released today, Halsema lambasts The Telegraaf for wrongly accusing her son of a crime he did not commit. She writes in her letter that he was only “messing around with his friends in an abandoned houseboat” and not in fact, attempting a heist. She urges people to see that it was not the pre-meditated and nasty crime the Telegraaf paints it as.

She agrees point blank that he did in fact break the law, by carrying fake weapons, and writes “for that he will have to bear the consequences”.

Source: originally posted to Flickr as Twitter party Femke Halsema

Halsema and her son: a cover up?

Some people fear that the controlled arrest which is causing frustration in the police community coupled with her publishing this letter is a cover up of the real crime. Halsema disagrees and says she only wants him to be treated like any other Amsterdam boy.

Media attention over a crime when it involves someone famous disrupts fair judicial process. Halsema iterates this when she says “In other cases of a fifteen-year-old boy, his information would never have been made public. My son, everyone after today, knows what he did – friends, teachers, and family – before a court judgment was passed”, NL times reports. 

The police gave him name suppression initially but that is the normal route to protect minors. In order to prevent favouritism, the case was transferred to the Public Prosecution Service in Haarlem.

Halsema concludes her letter by reiterating her son is an ordinary Amsterdam kid who must suffer the repercussions of his mistake but certainly does not  “deserve any public punishment just because he’s my son.”

Twitter Reconnects Woman With Man Who Gifted Her a Bike When She Was a Refugee Child

Freya Sawbridge
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Twitter Reconnects Woman With Man Who Gifted Her a Bike When She Was a Refugee Child

Mevan Babbakar, a 29-year-old woman living in London, pleaded with followers on the internet to help her find the man who gifted her a bike when she was a five-year-old refugee. She lived in a refugee camp near Zwolle in the Netherlands for five years during the 1990s. 

Mevan and her family fled Iraq during the gulf war and ended up in a refugee camp in the Netherlands before settling in London.

The message spread quickly and had over 3000 retweets within a day. A local newspaper from the Zwolle municipality also picked up the story which helped spread the news

The willingness of strangers to help sure does reinstate hope in humanity.

Mevan told the BBC “There was so much hardship at that point in our lives and this was such a generous act, it taught me kindness can exist everywhere, no matter how terrible it may seem.”

They were reunited!

“This gives me hope”

She will meet him in person later today and in the meantime is still spreading inspiring messages on Twitter.

Featured image source: Skitterphoto on Pixabay

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