The government has resigned when it comes to zero-emission cities

• Ewoud Kieviet

  A political reporter

The government stops opposing the introduction of zero emission zones in cities. This means that in certain parts of the city centre, company cars are no longer allowed to run on fuel. From January 2025, four Dutch cities will have emission-free zones for polluting vans and trucks, but all kinds of exceptions are possible.

The Schoof cabinet actually wanted to see if the arrival of these zero emission zones could be postponed, as stated in the government program. The government wants city centers to remain accessible to entrepreneurs and companies in the city center fear that they will have to spend a lot of money on new electric delivery vans, for example.

But after consultation with the municipalities, Secretary of State Jansen for Public Transport and the Environment has now withdrawn his objections. During the consultation that took place yesterday afternoon, the municipalities told Jansen that they would continue with their plans to introduce these zones without change, despite the wishes of the cabinet.

The Secretary of State (PVV) has counted his buttons and told his advisers that he will not give up and will continue with the policy of the previous Rutte cabinet. The senators want Jansen to contact the House of Representatives about this as well and he will do so soon.

These are the fourteen towns where the zones will be from January 1:

Those involved in the Ministry of Infrastructure have been surprised for some time about the passage in the government program in which the government says they want to cancel the emission-free zones. The government is not responsible for this, cities can decide for themselves about establishing such a zero emission zone.

The government program says that the cabinet wants to organize the exceptions for entrepreneurs nationally. But that has already happened. On one national website find out what exemptions are available and which apply to the fourteen municipal areas starting with the emission-free zones. It was also agreed nationally which transitional measures and exceptions apply.

A visit by the NOS shows that, apart from the four main cities, other cities, such as Assen, Delft, Den Bosch, Tilburg, Maastricht and Gouda, did not see any reason to change the plans after the passage there the government program. “The city council voted on this and we are moving forward.”

Alderman Sargentini from Gouda criticizes the cabinet’s opinion. “The government is putting the short-term interests of some entrepreneurs ahead of the interests of future-oriented entrepreneurs who have been working on the energy transition for a long time. “

She also mentions unreliable regulation if cities were to suddenly cancel emission-free zones just before the introduction. “Entrepreneurs have prepared for this. It would be strange if we were to go away from that suddenly.”

The Secretary of State Jansen for Infrastructure admits that he is not talking about it and therefore he could only make a friendly request to the municipalities. “There are also cities that will only introduce the zones later, which is why I said: maybe we should think carefully about when we are going to introduce a- into this. But in the end, it is up to the municipalities themselves and they have to do. their own decision.”

In the consultation yesterday, Jansen expressed his desire to be a reliable government and therefore not interfere with the plans of the towns.

While the first zero emission zones are coming, diesel buses seem to be needed, as Nieuwsuur observed earlier this year: