Amsterdam’s “transport hub” for plumbers and painters flops

An Amsterdam experiment to encourage plumbers, painters and other handymen to leave their polluting vans on the edge of the city and switch to a cargo bike, mini car or moped has flopped, with just three companies taking advantage of the scheme.

The “Park + Switch” hub on the Piet Heinkade was supposed to be used by dozens of small companies heading into the city centre following the introduction of tougher environmental rules for vans in January 2025.

“We would rather have seen more participants,” Susanne Balm, who evaluated the EU-funded pilot for the council, told the Parool.

One of the three users was a plumber who used a cargo bike to take his equipment and supplies to a client, but he still had to use his van to move larger equipment and spent more time travelling.

The second was a small company specialised in changing gas and electricity meters and the third was a building firm which was not happy about its experiences at all.

Using the hub, set up by a private company, cost money, but less than city centre parking charges.

The experiment ends on July 1, just a few weeks after one of the Netherlands’ biggest electricians – Feenstra – said it would stop taking on new clients in Amsterdam because of the difficulty in driving around and parking.

Although the trial involving handymen is ending, Balm told the Parool talks are now underway on a new trial involving healthcare workers.

Far right party JA21 has asked formal questions about the experiment, which officials have said they will answer before responding to questions from the press.

“This is a typical plan thought up by an intellectual who has never worked a day in their life,” councillor Stef Keij, a former taxi driver, told the Telegraaf.