Out with the cars and in with the bikes: Amsterdam looking to remove 11,000 parking spots

The streets of Amsterdam are going to be changing! All in the center, though. They want to systematically reduce the number of parking spaces to make more room for bike lanes, sidewalks, and more greenery. Cycling in Amsterdam is going to be a lot better now! 

Since the Dutch elections that happened recently, Amsterdam is currently being run by a coalition of left and centrist parties, where GroenLinks or the Green Left has the biggest majority. There was a promise made to reduce the number of parking spaces. Starting this summer, the plan is to reduce the number of people who will be permitted to park in inner city Amsterdam. The end goal is to remove at least 1,500 per year so that a total of 11,200 parking spaces are removed by the end of 2025.

How are they going to do this and what is going to become of the empty spaces?

Everyone who wants to park in the city centre needs a permit to have access to specific spaces. They are going to reduce these permits steadily, by not replacing any permits that were cancelled because the person moved to a new city, is no longer an owner of a car, or death. This should help in the backlash they will receive from car owners, as none of their permits will actually be revoked.

The empty spaces will be turned into more bike lanes, parking space for bikes, trees, or wider sidewalks. They also have other ways of getting more spaces freed up. The roads and harbour quaysides need to undergo restoration and repair due to the nature of the soil there. A lot of them are worn and torn because of the weight of cars over the years. The government is seizing this opportunity to get rid of more vehicles off the road.
Other roads are also being put on this hit list. The rationale behind this is that the city has a very well constructed infrastructure of public transport, and bike lanes, and it is unnecessary to have a car within the city. As there is an increasing preference for bikes over cars, there should be more bike parking spots.
What do you think? Do you have a bike or a car? Let us know in the comments below!
Kavana Desai
Kavana Desaihttps://medium.com/@kavanadesai
Coping with the aftermath of her 3-year stint in the Netherlands, Kavana is a writer, content creator and editor for DutchReview. Hailing from India, she frequently blogs about the Netherlands, being Indian in the Netherlands, and everything in between. She envisions herself to one day be the youngest person to win that Nobel Prize for Literature (she is also not very humble but welcomes only constructive criticism). In the meantime, she fills her days with writing for DutchReview, writing her master's thesis on art theft, and writing fiction that will hopefully see the light of day soon.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related posts

Latest posts

The narrowest house in Amsterdam: everything you need to know

Amsterdam’s architecture is unique and varied. You’ll find tall houses, historic houses, slanted houses, and even sinking houses. But Amsterdam's homes are perhaps best...

Furnishing your house in the Netherlands: the ultimate guide

So, you've just moved into your new place in the Netherlands. Great! But here's the thing: it's unfurnished, semi-furnished, or just ugly. Nightmare. Well, we're...

The best banks in the Netherlands for internationals

Finding the best banks for expats in the Netherlands can be a real search. There'll be many factors that influence your decision, from extra...

It's happening

Upcoming events

The latest Dutch news.
In your inbox.