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Plans for environmental zones "unnecessary"
Today, the local government of Amsterdam experienced a major setback, as Dutch Parliament and Government have de facto blocked the city's plans to keep out polluting vehicles from the city's environmental zone.
Most Members of Parliament, as well as the Environment and Transport Secretaries, respectively Ms. Jacqueline Cramer and Mr. Camiel Eurlings, are in complete agreement: upcoming measures render further local initiatives to restrict access for polluting vehicles unnecessary.
Mr Camiel Eurlings. Photo: MiM
Mishmash
According to Mr. Eurlings, a mishmash of restrictions that differ from city to city will "confuse motorists". Besides that, Eurlings argued, "low-income motorists will be hit hardest, as they may be forced to purchase a new vehicle". He hints that the upcoming national Air Act and measures such as differentiated parking tariffs will do the job instead.
Last laugh
Although Amsterdam cannot be forced to revoke its plans to ban polluting cars, the Minister will always have the last laugh: for Amsterdam to enforce its plans, it needs to get access to a national vehicle emissions database. Guess who has the password.
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