The Hague to experiment with voluntary firework-free zones over New Year's

The municipality of The Hague is conducting an experiment this New Year's in which local residents can declare their street, square of playground a firework-free zone. Residents will have to enforce the ban themselves, and the municipality will provide signs to mark the zone. The experiment will be held in Scheveningen, ANP reports.

The idea for this experiment came from a survey the municipality conducted among 13,500 Hague residents over the summer. It showed that 64 percent of residents are positive about implementing firework free zones over New Year's. And a smaller, but still significant, proportion thought it possible to make arrangements about such zones with local residents.

"It is unique in the Netherlands to involve so many residents in this way in the interpretation of New Year's. In this way we are giving more of the New Year's back to the city", Hague mayor Pauline Krikke said, according to the news wire.

The municipality itself is also implementing 23 firework-free zones. These are mainly located near hospitals and childcare facilities. In these zones, the municipality will be responsible for enforcement.