After 40 years of political discussions and postponed decisions, the cabinet has decided to complete the A4 motorway between Rotterdam and The Hague.

Most of the road is already there, apart from a stretch between the towns of Delft and Schiedam. Opponents of the scheme did not want to have yet another road to cross the last small rural area in an otherwise densely populated zone.

Landscaping
Traffic Minister Camiel Eurlings has decided that the road will be built in a cutting below surface level and partly in a tunnel, in order to preserve as much of the scenery as possible. "This will be one of the best-integrated roads in the Dutch landscape," the minister said when announcing the decision.

Employers' organisation VNO-NCW welcomed the development. "After decades of indecision and procrastination, the time has come at last," a spokesman said on Thursday. VNO lobbied for years to get the new road completed.

Frequent trains
The minister also announced a new, frequent railway connection between Rotterdam and The Hague. It is unclear whether this involves upgrading the existing railway line to allow for metro-like operation. New rail infrastructure in the area seems unlikely, given the difficulty in getting the A4 motorway built.

The alternative option, widening the A13 road, was rejected because the new A4 will benefit a greater number of motorists, shorten driving times and spread traffic between The Hague and Rotterdam over two connections, rather than one. The roadworks should be completed by 2010.