News of: Friday, February 18 2005,

Antique trams and buses have to move

A judge has ruled that the tram garage in Amsterdam Old-West and the bus garage in Amsterdam East have to be vacated as of March 1 and April 1.

The buildings are now occupied by the MUSA foundation (with a collection of old buses) and the Elektrische Museumtramlijn (old street trams).

The foundations managing the 2 collections are furious about the judge's decision. They complain the city of Amsterdam had promised to find funding for a new site to place the collections (possibly behind the old Haarlemmermeer Station in Amsterdam South). At this point, however, the ciy has offered a place in the Western harbour district. This is not connected to Amsterdam by rail, cutting off a major source of income for the tram museum (you can rent an old tram with them).

The old tram garage in Old-West (near the Vondelpark) has to be vacated for the new project 'de Hallen'. This is a plan for a big new cultural centre in Old-West.
Why the bus garage in Amsterdam East has to be vacated is not clear.