A Dutch minister’s attempt to quickly raise the speed limit on motorways to 130 kph was thwarted after civil servants warned him the decision would be overturned in court. Infrastructure minister Barry Madlener sought to implement the change shortly after taking office.

Madlener, representing the far-right PVV, aimed to bypass lengthy legal procedures and potential protests by using a “traffic ruling,” a formal decision to enact traffic control measures. This approach would have allowed motorists to drive at the higher speed without waiting for legal procedures that could take years.

Documents revealed that Madlener requested civil servants investigate the options for implementing this ruling. However, civil servants advised him that such a ruling would be quickly overturned in court.

Despite this warning, the minister persisted and requested a more detailed explanation, according to meeting minutes.

Ultimately, the speed limit was increased on only four stretches of road in April, covering 117 of the Netherlands’ 4,884 kilometers of motorway.