The province of Utrecht is working towards expanding the tram 22 timetable

The financial resources are "an important step and condition", reports Jelmer Geerds, a spokesperson for the responsible deputy. Based on the amount made available for public transport in the new coalition agreement, one million euros will be reserved in 2026 to make tram 22 run structurally during the weekend, says Geerds. First, tests must be run to determine the needs that will orient the timetable. 100,000 and 200,000 euros have been reserved for this purpose in 2024 and 2025, respectively.

A successful first pilot was run in April 2024, when many football supporters used the tram to access the stadium. For the next pilot, “we want to prioritise tram use during the open days for the university and the university of applied sciences,” explains Geerds. These tests will be run during two Saturdays next Autumn. The province also wants to investigate early next year whether the tram can run more structurally when FC Utrecht plays at home. 

The municipality therefore seems to be processing requests to expand the tram's timetable and make Utrecht Science Park easier to reach. However, the next steps have not yet been determined. The biggest obstacle to implementation is a staff shortage at Qbuzz, which is also a problem for the current timetable. The availability of sufficient security personnel for FC Utrecht home games must also be taken into account.