Municipality Maintains Decision to Prohibit Coaches in Center Ring Despite Opposition from Tour Companies

The municipality’s decision not to allow coaches within the Center Ring (S100) from the beginning of next year remains in effect. The preliminary relief judge decided this this week. Tour companies had opposed the plan, but were proven wrong.

The companies indicated that they collaborate with domestic and foreign tour operators who offer cruises as part of their travel program. During these travel programs, tourists are brought to Amsterdam by coach. The shipowners are already in discussions about next year’s tourist season and the tour companies say they are currently unable to provide tour operators with clarity about the location, time and the number of boats available for cruises.

Chaotic scenes

The alternative boarding and transfer locations, such as TTR Zouthaven, would not yet be fully realized and functioning properly. The capacity there would also be insufficient to handle the large number of coaches and tour boats in the high season. The tour companies said they feared chaotic and dangerous scenes. They also fear that they will be in a disadvantageous competitive position compared to shipowners who are not affected or are less affected.

The municipality disputed that the alternatives were not available. According to the municipality, TTR Zouthaven can already be used and a second location will be added from September. Research has shown that the capacity problems would be solved for at least 95 percent. The municipality said it had fulfilled its own commitments and stated that it is now up to the tour companies to come up with concrete workable solutions.

According to the preliminary relief judge, it has not been shown that the situation with the start of the tourist season in 2024 is inadequate for the shipping companies and will cause chaos. “With regard to the invocation of the principle of trust, it has not emerged that any commitments have been made by the municipality that go further than realizing the alternatives as has already been made,” the preliminary relief judge writes in the sentence.

The municipality says it is taking the measure to protect the vulnerable bridges and quays in the city center, improve air quality and reduce inconvenience for residents. The original intention was to ban heavy touring buses from the city center from January 1, 2023, but the measure was postponed, among other things, because other parking locations were not yet ready at the time. Most coach companies themselves were therefore already prepared, as a tour of AT5.

2023-09-16 15:04:15


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