Imtech has won orders worth approximately € 27 million for the expansion and upgrading of Dutch Railways' safety technology. Among others, this involves the connection of the existing Veluwe line to the new Hanze line and the RijnGouwe line East.

Optimum safety is pivotal to these solutions. Imtech CEO René van de Bruggen: "Safety is the foremost consideration where the railways are concerned, and technology is an indispensable link. Imtech has a strong position in the Dutch market for technical (rail) infrastructure. The new orders prove that in the field of high-tech safety technology in the infra-market, Imtech is one of the strongest players in both new construction and maintenance."

High-tech safety technology

With 50 kilometres of new track and an anticipated number of 32,000 travellers per day, the Hanze line forms a new rail connection between the Randstad metropolitan area and the north of the Netherlands. The Dura Vermeer Railinfra and Imtech Infra combination has been awarded by track manager ProRail (Projects) to realise the connection between the existing Veluwe line (Amersfoort -Zwolle route) and the railway yard at Zwolle to the new Hanze line. Imtech is to provide the entire high-tech safety technology (all safety, telecom and traction systems, including all cable connections). This means that Imtech is responsible for this section from the engineering phase right up to its complete implementation and commissioning phase. Again together with Dura Vermeer, Imtech received the order to realise the RijnGouwe line East, running from Gouda to the western edge of Leiden.

Three new stations will be constructed between Gouda and Alphen, and existing stations are to be upgraded. Double tracks will also be laid at various locations where trains can pass one another. A new generation of super-silent light rail trains will run on this rail connection, and their frequency will be doubled. Imtech will be responsible for the entire safety technology for this track too. Dura Vermeer will be responsible for the civil engineering work. Both projects will take a number of years. Imtech has also been awarded a five-year maintenance contract by ProRail for the maintenance and management of all the technical solutions, including high-tech fire detection and fire extinguishing technology, in the five tunnels along the Betuwe route. This is the 160-kilometre long two-track rail connection for freight transport between Rotterdam and the European hinterland.