The Netherlands: no traffic jams today?
Dutch companies worked hard to keep this Thursday free of traffic jams. Although queues are reported, the organisers can claim they have achieved something more important: an increase of awareness.
Mr. Vonk of the Dutch Automobile Association (ANWB), one of the jam-free day's organisers, tells Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant that "over the last months, many companies and employees have struck agreements about working at home, flexible working hours and choosing alternatives for their cars every now and then."
Shoot! A queue after all: today, 3 pm. Source: FileIndex.nl
Today's occasional showers have made it virtually impossible to reduce traffic jams to zero. However, more awareness seems to have been created. And that is what really counts.
"The initiative shows that people and companies don't accept traffic jams as something unavoidable. People increasingly realise that they're not just a victim, but at the same time cause of the problem. Changing habits and making agreements can contribute to solving it," says mr. Willem de Jager of co-initiator Rabobank.
"For a change, it is a signal that doesn't come from the government, but from companies", according to mr. Erik Verhoef, who refers to a government campaign ('your car will manage a day without you') that did not bring a lot of results.
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