The new chief executive of Dutch railway operator NS, Timo Huges, has said that no new intercity trains will be introduced onto the network before 2021.
Huges made the comments in a letter to the Dutch Parliament responding to requests by ministers to speed up procurement of new trains from 2021 to 2018.
Although no new long-distance trains will be ordered, Huges said that NS was modernising its current fleet. First generation VIRM double-deck cars will be overhauled from this summer, returning to service in 2016. Huges said NS were also preparing to tender for new Sprinter electric multiple units (EMU) which passengers could expect to see in service from 2018.
Huges stressed that NS wanted to learn lessons from the damaging V250 project. The next generation of long-distance rolling stock will operate at speeds of 200 km/h. Huges said NS had opted against higher speeds in order to meet varying technical requirements across the network.
