Amsterdam is planning to really earn its reputation as a pro-bike city by drastically reducing its parking spots in the next six years.
Amsterdam is going to become even more-bike friendly. Photo by Matt Munro/Lonely Planet
The scheme has been announced by the Dutch city’s traffic commissioner, Sharon Dijksma, and it’s meant to start on 1 July 2019, when Amsterdam will slowly, but systematically, start reducing parking spots in the city centre.
The scheme will focus especially on the city centre. Photo by ElOjoTorpe/Getty Images
The plan is quite clever and revolves around simply not replacing the parking permits that will expire, or be given up, starting this summer. A permit is required to park one’s car in the city centre, and Amsterdam will start by reducing those permits are a rate of 1500 per year. Along with erasing the parking spots on quaysides that need renovation work and streets that need remodelling, it would mean the city clears out up to 11,000 spots by the end of 2025.
Only a small percentage of people moves around Amsterdam in a car. Photo by Matt Munro/Lonely Planet
“Amsterdam strives to be an accessible and livable city,” the statement on the city’s official website reads. “With space for greenery, clean air and safe public space”. And that’s exactly what’s going to happen in the cleared-out parking spots— that space will be used to enlarge the sidewalks, add more bike lanes and plant several new trees. The quality of the air in the centre of the Netherlands’ most famous city is certainly going to improve because of it, as will the enjoyment of both citizens and tourists as they stroll around the city’s famous canals.
What do you think of the decision?
The post Amsterdam making more moves to become a cyclist’s paradise appeared first on Lonely Planet Travel News.