Volt Gelderland on the Road: Work Visits in June

The Future of Public Transport in Gelderland
At the beginning of June, Vera travelled to Doetinchem for a work visit focused on the future of public transport in our province.

As thousands of new homes will be built in the coming years, the number of people needing to travel will grow as well. To prevent everyone from relying on cars, the province of Gelderland aims to make major investments in public transport. New train and bus lines will be introduced, and existing routes will run more frequently. This expansion will be rolled out in phases through to 2040.
During the visit, Vera and other provincial councillors also visited the Arriva Nederland depot, where electric and hydrogen buses are serviced. Good news: in the Achterhoek-Rivierenland region, bus services will increase by 20% thanks to a new concession. In addition, dozens of towns in Gelderland will receive bus shelters for the first time.

Work Visit to the Municipality of Voorst
Also known as the green heart of the urban triangle Apeldoorn – Deventer – Zutphen. The countryside is exactly where major societal challenges like climate adaptation and the agricultural transition need to take place. At the same time, rural areas are being considered for housing development. Like many other municipalities, Voorst faces a significant task.

The municipality primarily wants to build within existing villages, with respect for the surroundings and a focus on preserving the area's green character.
During a cycling tour, the delegation visited a farm and an organization dedicated to restoring historic nature. They help residents landscape their yards as they looked 150 years ago. With free advice and discounts on suitable plants, nature restoration becomes accessible to all. The maintenance is left to the residents, making this a great example of organic nature management — exactly the kind of collaboration Volt believes in.

The Future of Pig Farming
Vera and Dennis visited Zonvarken in Winterswijk: an innovative, small-scale pig farm that combines sustainability with a fair business model.

At Zonvarken, the animals have plenty of room to move, and the barn is designed with both animal welfare and the climate in mind. The roof is covered with sedum plants, and manure and urine are processed separately — better for the environment and the farmer.
This is the direction livestock farming needs to move in. We’ll bring the insights gained to the Provincial Council.

National Cherry Party
On Friday, June 20, the annual National Cherry Party took place at the FruitTech Campus. In a summery atmosphere, administrators, entrepreneurs, politicians, and partners gathered to network and discover regional innovations.

Werkzaak Rivierenland presented a forklift simulator aimed at helping people with a distance to the labour market. It’s an accessible way to get acquainted with technology and training opportunities.

Noël attended on behalf of Volt Gelderland to engage in conversation and closely follow developments in the region.

First Aid for Grid Congestion 2.0
At the end of June, Elmar represented Volt Gelderland at the “Top van Onderop” event on grid congestion and the role of businesses.

During the meeting, the new edition of the brochure First Aid for Grid Congestion was presented to Provincial Executive Ans Mol and Jacco Vonhof, chairman of MKB-Nederland. This practical guide helps businesses deal with grid congestion and accelerates the energy transition. It is now up to the chair of MKB-Nederland to ensure all businesses in the country are informed about it.