Train traffic between Lelystad and Dronten will be halted until at least mid-December as a result of a power failure in Flevoland at the beginning of September. Over a distance of 7 kilometers, the overhead wires, cables, signals and relay boxes, among other things, have to be replaced. The costs are in the millions.
The power outage was caused on September 2 by a short circuit and fire in a high-voltage substation. A high-voltage cable ended up on an overhead line of the railway near Swifterbant. Since then, no more trains have run between Lelystad and Dronten.
Over the past few days, ProRail has conducted an on-site investigation and carried out the first repair work. The investigation made it clear that the repair work takes a considerable amount of time. “We are really doing everything we can. Given the extensive damage, the fastest option is mid-December,” says regional director Harro Homan.
As an alternative to the train, buses run between Lelystad Center and Dronten. Rail passengers can make a detour via Amersfoort, but must take a longer travel time into account.
NU.nl is awaiting a response from NS whether more and/or longer trains will be used on that route until mid-December.
