Lack of government cooperation hampering cities' plans for zero-emission zones: report

Around 30 cities will gradually ban fossil fuel vans and trucks from their city centers. Fourteen are ready to implement these zero-emission zones on January 1. But the central government’s refusal to cooperate is leaving them struggling to tie up loose ends, the municipalities involved told Trouw.

The zero-emission zones stem from the Clean Air Agreement, which the government, nine provinces, and 35 municipalities concluded four years ago. It aims to reduce air pollution, nitrogen, and CO2 emissions.

However, the new government is much less eager to implement stricter environmental rules. The PVV, VVD, NSC, and BBB’s coalition agreement even states that the parties would look into “how the introduction of zero-emission zones can be postponed.” According to the municipalities, they opted to delay these zones by refusing to cooperate in implementing them.

The first setback is the national counter where entrepreneurs can apply for an exemption to the the emission-free zones. For example, fairground floats, vans with loading cranes, and moving vans are still allowed to enter these zones. As are entrepreneurs who have ordered electric vehicles but haven’t received them yet. They must apply for an exemption at a Road Traffic Service (RDW) counter that was supposed to open in July but still doesn’t exist.

The municipality of Amsterdam set up a counter itself where all exemption applicants, including those from other cities, can go. “We saw this coming. So we made preparations with the four big cities,” The Hague alderman Robert Barker said.

Traffic signs are the next big issue. The desired traffic signs must be established nationally to avoid confusion. But parliament declared that task “controversial” after the fall of the Rutte IV Cabinet and the new parliament has not made a decision on it as yet.

Therefore, the new signs will not be ready in time, and municipalities will have to make do with existing signage. This could result in a jumble of traffic signs with sometimes contradictory messages.

Amsterdam was, therefore, forced to significantly reduce the size of its zero-emission zone. “We find it undesirable to create an unclear traffic situation,” alderman Melanie van der Horst said. Eindhoven decided to exclude old diesel cars from the vehicles banned in its environmental zone to prevent chaotic signage.

“It is annoying that the coalition is sowing doubts about the zero-emission zones,” The Hague alderman Barker told the newspaper. “We have already agreed years ago that we are going to introduce this. The air quality in the big cities is poor. High time that the government complies with the agreements and makes its contribution to clean air.”