The municipality of The Hague is opposed to an expansion of the environmental zone The Hague, which has been in force since 2008. The AD published this today. Polluting lorries are being banned there. That decision means that old (er) passenger cars, taxis, delivery vans and scooters will remain welcome in the Residence for the time being. "There is no evidence that the environmental zone has an effect on air quality in the city," the city council said.
In particular VVD against expansion
The VVD party in The Hague in particular is strongly opposed to an expansion. It supports the findings of the municipality of The Hague, which explicitly states that an environmental zone has no more effect than the measures already taken with regard to air quality. It is striking that the mayor and aldermen appeal to the TNO investigation into the Utrecht environmental zone that was examined at the express request of the city council. A different sound is heard from the left wing within the municipal politics of The Hague. It relies on the fact that air quality in Utrecht has indeed improved. However, it ignores that the measuring points were not in places that could be called representative
Developments in Rotterdam as an example
On the right it seems to be right on its side. Particulate matter, nitrogen and CO2 have no limits. In addition, it is striking that in another large city - Rotterdam - it recently became clear that since the introduction of the environmental zone an increase in particulate matter and nitrogen was measured. Figures from the Rijnmond DCMR Environmental Service showed a real NO2 peak at the measuring station on the Statenweg since the introduction of the Rotterdam environmental zone. The amount of particulate matter is also higher since the introduction of the environmental zone. These are developments that are also followed with above-average interest in The Hague.
More flow better option than environmental zone
The VVD in The Hague indicated, in any case, to see more salvation in a better flow of traffic. And Niels van Ham from Stichting Rotterdamse Klassiekers unfolded in the latest edition of Auto Motor Klassiek his vision for appropriate car measures. “Nothing is wrong with car-free or car-free. But let those rules apply to everyone. Rotterdam simply lends itself very well to infrastructure restructuring. "
Space for alternatives in The Hague
The environmental zones in the municipalities of Utrecht and Rotterdam simply have no positive or measurable effect on air quality. That is why the current city government of The Hague adheres to the fact that people hold on to the current principles. And it gives the current board in The Hague time to think about spending the community money on appropriate infrastructure adjustments as an alternative to an environmental zone suggested by the left. Adaptations that benefit the middle class, traffic and residents of the Hofstad. And to be more realistic than projects in which one million is tipped overboard without any effect. The city council of The Hague would do well to think about this. Because if the residents of The Hague opted for a left or green city government in due course, there is still a possibility that the expansion of the current environmental zone in The Hague will be realized.
Source: AD, VVD Rotterdam
Adapted and supplemented by Auto Motor Klassiek