On 20 October 2005, Strukton Integrale Projecten, partner in the Consortium NoordRail, participated in the first dialogue session of a market consultation that was organized by the Project Organization Zuiderzeelijn, as part of a discussion on the benefit and necessity of the Zuiderzeelijn project (a direct rail connection between Amsterdam and Groningen).

The discussion on benefit and necessity is the result of recommendations made by the Temporary Commission Infrastructure. As result of this, the Project Organization Zuiderzeelijn is currently drafting a so called Structure Plan. In this plan, a coherent vision on the current and future environmental-economical situation in the corridor Schiphol-Almere-Groningen will be presented. The problems in the area will be fully and clearly set out. The most likely solutions to solve the existing problems will also be presented, including the possible infrastructural alternatives that are related to that.

During the development of the alternatives, private parties will be involved by giving additional technical and financial/commercial input based on their knowledge and experience. This is intended to ensure that the final technical solutions and business cases that will be presented will also have a solid private perspective basis.

Strukton Integrale Projecten, together with Strukton Betonbouw and Strukton Railinfra, has been following the developments around the Zuiderzeelijn since the beginning of 2002. In the course of 2004 Strukton decided, together with Heijmans Infrastructuur, to establish a consortium in order to be able to participate in the Competition for the Zuiderzeelijn, which was supposed to start at the end of 2004. After TUC rail, a Belgium engineering’s agency specialized in rail infrastructure decided to join, the Consortium NoordRail was founded.

NoordRail presented itself as a candidate for participation in the market dialogue for the Structure Plan in September 2005 and was selected in the beginning of October as one of the four private parties which are currently participating in this market consultation. It is the intention to finalize the consultation in February 2006. The Structure Plan that should be completed in April 2006 will eventually form the base for the political decision-making process on the Zuiderzeelijn that is scheduled for mid 2006.