Mayors of large Dutch cities call gov't to decide on firework ban

The mayors of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and The Hague want the government to hurry up and make a decision on banning firecrackers and firework rockets, Hague mayor Pauline Krikke wrote in a letter on behalf of her colleagues.

The letter is addressed to Minister Ferdinand Grapperhaus of Justice and Security and State Secretary Stientje van Veldhoven of Infrastructure and Water Management, NOS reports.

Late last year the Dutch Safety Board advised the government to ban firecrackers and firework rockets, because they cause large amounts of injury and damage each year. Grapperhaus said he would discuss this with mayors, but so far the government hasn't decided what to do about this advice.

The mayors of the four largest Dutch cities call on the government to make this decision soon, "so that it is known in good time what rules will apply to the sale and the lighting of fireworks in the coming New Year's", Krikke wrote, according to NOS. The mayors point out that many municipalities start their New Year's preparations well ahead of time.

Krikke also writes that a national ban will be far more effective than local measures. "Local regulations will only result in a waterbed effect."