Multi-year grant for the Maasveren Foundation approved

The municipalities of Oss, West Maas en Waal, and Maasdriel have jointly pledged their support to the Maasveren foundation. On Wednesday, November 13, the three involved Aldermen Sidney van den Bergh (Oss), Evert Jan Slootweg (West Maas en Waal), and Toine Nettebreijers (Maasdriel), along with the director of the Maasveren Foundation (Lars Cleijne), officially formalized the multi-year subsidy.

The Maas ferries are important to the region. They contribute to quality of life, accessibility, and mobility. There are often strong social ties between residents on both banks of the Maas and other parts of Brabant and Gelderland. Every day, the ferries transport students and agricultural traffic, as well as tourists to restaurants and other establishments on both banks. The ferries improve access to industrial parks, thereby helping to enhance the business climate. They also support sustainable and smart mobility solutions in the region.

The grant covers the current operating deficit, but the renewal and sustainability upgrades of the ferry fleet remain unresolved. For this reason, the foundation and the municipalities are calling on the provinces of Gelderland and North Brabant to take responsibility for this matter.

The Maasveren Foundation has an operating deficit. The municipalities will jointly contribute €600,000 over the next eight years to cover this deficit. The contribution is divided based on the number of ferry stops: Oss has five and accounts for 50% of the costs. West Maas en Waal has four stops and pays 40%, and Maasdriel, with one stop, contributes 10%.

The foundation and the three municipalities are continuing their discussions about the future of the ferry services. The provinces are also being involved in these discussions so that they can work together to find a sustainable and future-proof solution.