More cities to increase speed limit to 30 km per hour: 'Is Halsema mayor here too?'

Amsterdam residents have been familiar with it for a while now: driving at a maximum speed of 30 km/h, everywhere in the capital. More cities are now introducing this "speed limit," like Haarlem yesterday. Nieuws van de Dag went to investigate: what do people think?

The goal of a 30 km/h speed limit is, of course, to increase road safety. This didn't immediately materialize in Amsterdam after its implementation in December 2023. Midwives, for example, received numerous fines if they needed and wanted to be at a delivery location quickly. Ultimately, the rule does work in Amsterdam.

News of the Day reporter Jeroen Holtrop went to Haarlem yesterday. According to presenter Pim Sedee, "at a snail's pace." You can see Holtrop's report in the video above. Haarlem alderman Bas van Leeuwen tells him that 132 additional streets have been given a 30 km/h speed limit. "We're doing this to give pedestrians and cyclists more space. And to make Haarlem more livable, accessible, and above all, safer."

A man responds to Holtrop: "I wasn't aware of that. I thought that was only in Amsterdam, from Halsema. Is Halsema the mayor here too?" The driver admits he's not in favor of a 30 km/h limit. Another finds it "ridiculous." "That's an Amsterdam rule. Amsterdam is a bigger city than Haarlem. I don't think it needs to be done in Haarlem. There are far more cyclists in Amsterdam, and I think it's ridiculous for taxi drivers too."

A woman on a cargo bike thinks 30 km/h is a good plan, "although it will take some getting used to." According to the aforementioned alderman, Haarlem residents had a say in the new traffic measure.

In the Nieuws van de Dag studio, journalist Coen Grutters of Autovisie responds to the 30 km/h speed limit and the added road safety. "Statistically, it's certainly true, but it's also very frustrating. If people say 'they drive like crazy,' then that was already illegal before. I understand the road safety point completely; it's an argument you can never really argue with. I'm not going to say, 'I don't care about safety.' Here in Hilversum, I just had to drive 30 km/h for a bit. I thought: let me actually drive 30 km/h. You really think to yourself: what am I doing?"