Introduction – Zweeftrein of Luchtfiets?
Een radicale verbetering van de infrastructuur (quantum leap)
is een noodzakelijke randvoorwaarde voor de verbetering
van de economische structuur van Nederland
M.C.J. van Pernis
(Voorzitter Consortium Transrapid Nederland)
In the late 1990s the Dutch government mandated the Langman commission (named after its chairman, the former liberal minister of economic affairs, Hargert Langman) to develop a guideline for the northern provinces of the Netherlands to overcome the economic arrear compared to the Randstad, the economic heart of the country. One crucial part of the advice the Commission made in 1998 was the creation of a fast public transport connection (often mentioned as the Zuiderzeelijn) between the Randstad and Groningen over the Flevopolder to stimulate the economic development of the north by connecting it to the Randstad. However, many different possibilities to fulfil this advice have been discussed. The most spectacular and most controversial transport option is the magnetic levitation train, the so-called Transrapid, which has recently been built in Shanghai (China). This option is not only supposed to be the fastest but is also supposed to most sustainably stimulate the economic development in the north. This track must be seen in an European context as well. The German federal states of Hamburg, Bremen and Lowe Saxony (Niedersachsen) announced interest in building the track further over Leer, Oldenburg and Bremen to Hamburg, if the ultimate decision of the Dutch government will be in favour of the Transrapid technology. Even a north-European approach could be imaginable in the opinion of some visionaries, an Eurorapid Amsterdam-Hamburg-Stockholm.
The main questions this paper tries to deal with in this context are
• How far can a Transrapid connection between Amsterdam and Groningen (and possibly Hamburg and Stockholm) stimulate the development of the peripheral regions of northern Netherlands and northwestern Germany?
• How can this high-speed connection be seen in the wider context of an European transport policy?
• Have the expectations of spatial and economic effects been overvalued?
In the first part of the paper the different projects will be introduced and in a second step discussed briefly in their political and socio-economic contexts. The main emphasis lies on the discussion of the effects on the spatial and socio-economic developments in chapter 4. ...
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- 1.0 Introduction - Zweeftrein of Luchtfiets?
- 2.0 Brief description of the announced projects
- 2.1 Zuiderzeelijn Amsterdam - Groningen
- 2.2 Projected extension from Groningen to Hamburg
- 2.3 Brief description of the Eurorapid project
- 3.0 Exposition of reasons and the awaited effects in a socio-economic and political context
- 3.1 The Zuiderzeelijn
- 3.2 The extension Groningen – Hamburg
- 3.3. The „EuroRapid”
- 4.0 Discussion of the effects on the spatial and socio-economic development
- 5.0 Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper aims to evaluate the potential of a Transrapid connection between Amsterdam and Groningen, possibly extending to Hamburg and Stockholm, in stimulating the development of peripheral regions in northern Netherlands and northwestern Germany. It investigates the wider context of European transport policy and the anticipated spatial and economic effects of this high-speed connection.
- The potential of Transrapid technology to boost economic development in peripheral regions
- The role of high-speed connections in European transport policy
- The spatial and socio-economic effects of the Zuiderzeelijn project
- The potential impact of the Transrapid connection on the economic disparities between the Randstad and northern Netherlands
- The feasibility of extending the Transrapid project to Hamburg and potentially Stockholm.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the concept of the Transrapid, emphasizing its potential to revolutionize transportation infrastructure and stimulate economic growth. The chapter also highlights the Langman commission's recommendation for a fast public transport connection between the Randstad and Groningen.
- Chapter 2 presents a detailed overview of the proposed Transrapid projects, including the Zuiderzeelijn Amsterdam - Groningen, the extension from Groningen to Hamburg, and the Eurorapid project. The chapter delves into the technical details of the Transrapid technology and compares it to alternative transportation solutions.
- Chapter 3 explores the socio-economic and political context of the proposed Transrapid projects, discussing the potential benefits and challenges associated with their implementation. The chapter analyzes the expected effects on regional development, job creation, and transportation infrastructure.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The primary keywords and focus topics of the paper are: Transrapid, magnetic levitation train, Zuiderzeelijn, high-speed connection, regional development, economic growth, European transport policy, peripheral regions, spatial effects, socio-economic development.
- Citation du texte
- Hilmar Schimming (Auteur), Daniel Boedecker (Auteur), 2003, The Zuiderzeelijn as a development motor for the peripheral Northern Netherlands and as an option for Northwestern Germany?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/42225
