State Secretary Aartsen: “With five ministries and many involved regions, work is underway to improve accessibility. By combining target group transport and public transport, we can create a more efficient system that offers more freedom of choice and self-reliance for all travelers, regardless of disability or place of residence.”
In the province of Zeeland and the Drechtsteden region, the first two public mobility projects from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management have already started. Several regions will follow from 2026.
What is public mobility?
Public mobility brings together different forms of transport. It primarily concerns target group transport (for example, for the elderly or people with disabilities) and public transport, but there are also opportunities for shared mobility and volunteer transport. Where the different transport systems are currently organized independently, they will work more closely together in the future.
This makes transport more flexible, helps people travel more independently, and ensures the system is more efficient and future-proof. From 2026, the five ministries will collaborate with other governments, (industry) organizations, and transport companies to determine how public mobility is organized and financed.
Regional initiatives and results
The first project in Zeeland started this year and received a rating of 4.8 out of 5. The Ministry of Infrastructure provided Zeeland with €6 million as a startup contribution. A similar project recently began in the Drechtsteden. In 2026, five other regions will follow with a total budget of €5 million. These regional projects show what is needed to set up a well-functioning public mobility system.