Zandvoort residents trick Google Maps to block tourists from their streets

Dozens of residents in Zandvoort’s Parkbuurt neighborhood have manipulated Google Maps by marking their streets as closed, redirecting traffic away from the area on busy days, NH reports. The digital action, meant to relieve traffic pressure, prompted the municipality to place warning signs instructing drivers to switch off navigation systems.

According to local residents, streets in the Parkbuurt are frequently overrun by vehicles driving too fast and occupying scarce parking spaces, especially during weekends. Frustrated by what they say is inaction by the municipality, residents began reporting their streets as closed via Google Maps starting in April. The navigation service has since started redirecting vehicles around the neighborhood.

“The municipality promises all kinds of measures, but in our view, too little is happening,” one resident told NH. Although parking fees have been increased, they said, this has had no noticeable effect. Residents describe their Google Maps action as “the least intrusive measure” to pressure the municipality into taking further steps.

The idea came from similar actions around the Keukenhof flower gardens, where residents also marked streets as closed to reduce tourist traffic. In Parkbuurt, streets are often digitally “closed” for a few days during weekends and “reopened” during the week. For instance, the roads were still marked closed on Monday but were accessible again on Tuesday.

Zandvoort alderman Gert-Jan Bluijs expressed strong irritation over the residents’ actions. “They’re pushing traffic problems onto other neighborhoods,” he told NH. In response, the municipality placed bilingual signs at the town’s entrances reading, “Navigatie uit, P-route volgen” — Dutch and German for “Turn off navigation, follow the P-route.”