AMSTERDAM: The city of Amsterdam, in an effort to curb air pollution, has announced a plan to ban all diesel and gasoline cars and motorbikes by 2030.
Sharon Dijksma, Amsterdam Traffic Councilor said, “Pollution often is a silent killer and is one of the greatest health hazards in Amsterdam.”
The Netherlands has air pollution levels that exceed European safety rules, despite of its bicycle culture due to traffic in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The health ministry has warned that current levels of nitrogen dioxide and particle matter emissions can lead to respiratory illnesses, with chronic exposure shortening life expectancy by more than a year.
The plan will be implemented in different phases. By 2020, diesel cars more than 15 years old will be banned in the capital. Public buses and coaches that emit exhaust will be banned from the city center by 2022. Exhaust-emitting boats, mopeds, and light mopeds will also be banned by 2025. Amsterdam will be free of all traffic emission by 2030.
The success of the plan will depend upon the increase in the number of electric vehicle charging stations from 3,000 to 16,000 to 23,000 by 2025, as per the plan. The council hopes to encourage residents to switch to electric or hydrogen cars by offering subsidies and parking permits.