Dutch Camper Club wants exceptions for banned motorhomes in environmental zones

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"Give older motorhomes equipped with a retro soot filter access to the environmental zones that are being established in an increasing number of cities." 

The NKC has always encouraged the installation of retro soot filters. Many owners of a diesel motorhome have therefore invested in such a filter. However, Utrecht and Rotterdam (from 1-1-2016) are banning campers equipped with it, while they are allowed within the German zones.

Exception older campers
The NKC also argues for an exception for older campers of owners who live within an environmental zone. Because motorhomes are not suitable as a means of transport in city centers, an exemption for this group would have a limited impact on the environment, while an exemption for owners in the environmental zone is important. The NKC provides practical reasons for this, such as loading and unloading holidays or other baggage. In stating these reasons, the NKC also ignores the fact that owners of non-relieved and refused passenger and company cars (in Utrecht, for example, the relevant vehicles with a date of first admission before 1-1-2001) also strongly to a large extent.

NKC request is probably not accepted in Utrecht
The request of the NKC to admit motorhomes to the environmental zone after fitting a soot filter is in all likelihood not accepted in Utrecht. "Because," says the municipality of Utrecht, "the effect of this application is against. The filters make the exhaust gases less clean than expected. ”The municipality of Utrecht has already established the rule that residents of the environmental zone can get a day exemption six times a year for the normally refused camper van. No matter how many hooks and eyes the Stichtse Milieuzone knows: six times a year are sufficient, certainly in relation to the premise that a camper is not at all suitable for means of transport in centers. In Rotterdam, by the way, all “refused” motorists can get an exemption twelve times a year. Different starting points, therefore, that will not disappear as long as local authorities are free to determine their own rules within this theme. That is another reason why the NKC's ambition is brave, but hardly achievable on a national scale. Additional exceptions for camping vehicles at the local level will also breathe new life into the discussion about unequal treatment of car owners.

The best alternative for environmental zones
In any case, they will not make the matter clearer. That is also why the best alternative for the environmental zones - we say it repeatedly - is to create traffic-calmed zones with exemptions for residents and (logistical) destination traffic. Not regulated at a decentralized level, but at a national level. It eliminates a significant part of discussion in this theme.

 

 

 

 

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