Amsterdam votes to ban polluting cars from city centre
Posted : Fri, 27 Jun 2008 08:08:04 GMT
Amsterdam - Amsterdam City Council voted in favour of a bill Friday to ban polluting cars like sports utility vehicles (SUVs) from entering the old city centre. The opposition parties criticized the bill, which it called an "antisocial car plan, instead of a plan to improve the air quality in Amsterdam."
In several parts of Amsterdam city centre the air quality is below the acceptable level. Local politicians have been looking for ways to reduce car traffic.
By prohibiting polluting cars from entering the city, the air quality must improve within the next two years, the councillors said.
Minister for Infrastructure and Traffic Camiel Eurlings (Christian Democrat) said he favoured the government initiating a national policy to improve air quality rather than allowing individual Dutch cities to initiate their own policies.
Previously, the city of Leiden near The Hague prohibited SUVs from entering the city centre.
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