Eindhoven sees absolutely nothing in an environmental zone for delivery vans and passenger cars. In the Brabant city, the city council decided that such a zone would not be introduced. Its effect on improving air quality 'within the Ring' is too small to enter the zone. This was the conclusion of a TNO study. The municipality has also decided not to take any measures against mopeds and light mopeds.
Since 1 July 2007, Eindhoven has an environmental zone for trucks that run on diesel within the city ring. The access depends on the Euro class. The environmental zone only applies to trucks that run on diesel. This concerns vehicles that are heavier than 3.500 kg and are not intended for passenger transport.
Limited effect
Research into the effects of an environmental zone for people and delivery traffic shows that an environmental zone only has an effect on the proportion of soot at the most taxed places in the city. The effect on less heavily taxed locations and on concentrations of particulate matter or nitrogen dioxide is very small. In addition, the effect is temporary due to the autonomous change of traffic.
Substantial investments
In Eindhoven people also considered the fact that substantial investments are needed for the design, implementation, management and enforcement of the environmental zone. In addition, any commitment to additional measures does not outweigh the limited effect that would be achieved in the short term. The introduction of a temporary scrapping scheme for polluting delivery vans and passenger cars costs more than € 5 million in community money. It was also calculated that the introduction of CCTV would cost one-off between half a million and a million euros. In the case of introduction, there is also the question of hiring extra staff for enforcement and granting exemption. The costs for this were calculated at € 200.000 on an annual basis. The sum of the total costs is too much for the City Council in Eindhoven.
Lack of social support
The effect on air quality and the costs associated with the introduction were not the only starting points for Eindhoven to end the environmental zone. Also - and this is commendable - the lack of public support was an important consideration, in combination with the limited effect. In Eindhoven, for example, it was stated that the expected resistance will be great. The developments in Utrecht in the run-up to the environmental zone - brought to national attention by the KNAC at the time - formed an additional argument for blocking the environmental zone in Eindhoven. According to Eindhoven, the same resistance would lead to a longer preparation time, notices of objection, extra pressure on exemptions and compensatory measures: factors that lead to an even lower yield for air quality.
Common sense
Common sense is used in Eindhoven. Introducing a measure is one thing, but in Philips city, those responsible do believe that utility and necessity must be demonstrated. That is not visible and that is why a difficult preparation period and a considerable cost are avoided. Common sense triumphs in Eindhoven, where those responsible also respected the expected public opinion in a respectable manner. People and other stakeholders are taken seriously in advance. Perhaps that is the biggest profit that results from the decision.