Badger Tunnels stop traffic on Dutch Railways

Badgers’ sabotage under railway lines wreaked havoc on train services in the Netherlands, causing cancellations and closures of railway lines.

Trains in the north and south of the country were affected, with some services suspended for at least a week.

The line between Den Bosch and Boxtel in the south was closed on Tuesday after mammals dug under the tracks.

Officials said it was not clear how long the problem would last because badgers are a protected species.

It is the second time in a week that services have been stopped due to badger activity, said John Vauben, chief executive of ProRail – the company that handles maintenance of the Dutch rail network.

He said the problem could take a long time to address as train operators need permission to move the animals or disturb their habitat.

ProRail said an inspection in recent days showed the badgers were digging more actively, which had direct consequences for the integrity of the tracks.

She added that the potholes meant tracks could sag, putting the safety of rail traffic at risk.

The Den Bosch-Boxtel-Eindhoven route is an important north-south link, and passenger and freight trains on the line will be affected until at least next Tuesday.

Earlier this month in the north, badgers also dug under railway tracks near Molkwerum in the province of Friesland, causing a suspension of services on one of the lines until next month.

The railroad workers plan to build a sand mound there where the badgers can dig their homes.

Mr Voppen said ProRail is in emergency talks with the Ministry of Infrastructure after the lockdown.

“Living with badgers is a mystery to ProRail,” the company says on its website, adding that the goal is to ensure “safe rail traffic and a thriving railing.”