Zero-emission zones have come into force across 14 Dutch cities to decarbonise urban logistics in the Netherlands.
As of January 1st 2025, these zones prohibit polluting vans and trucks from entering the area and aim to reduce CO2 emissions associated with freight.
Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and The Hague are amongst those cities that kicked the new year off with zero-emission zones and approximately 30 Dutch cities in total are expected to implement them.
“The Netherlands has long been a front-runner in motor traffic evaporation for personal transport,” Dutch Cycling Embassy International Relations Manager Chris Bruntlett told Zag Daily. “Since the 1970s, cities across the country have implemented an effective ‘carrot and stick’ approach of providing attractive alternatives to driving (such as dense, high-quality cycling and public transport networks) while making it unattractive through traffic calming, circulation, and restriction.
“However, freight transport movements in these cities have steadily risen, especially with the growth of e-commerce. So low-emission zones are part of a similar ‘carrot and stick’ strategy to reduce their impact on residents and the environment. While offering generous subsidies for entrepreneurs to switch their polluting fleet for electric vans and cargo bikes, these restrictions—which are implemented over a five-year transition period—help to accelerate this much-needed transformation.”
The zero-emission zones are intended for commercial vehicles only, such as vans, trucks and cars being used for delivery purposes. Cameras at the perimeter of each zone will record the license plate of entering vehicles and check it against a central database. A fine will automatically be issued in the mail if a vehicle is deemed to be in offence.
Last year, the Clean Cities Campaign identified 35 European cities which outlined plans to introduce zero-emission zones for freight by 2030, the majority of which are in the Netherlands.
One reason Dutch cities are leading the way in decarbonising urban logistics is down to the role of national law. As part of the 2019 National Climate Agreement, the Netherlands aims to implement 30 to 40 medium-sized zero-emission zones for freight transport as of 2025.
While the framework for zero-emission zones was developed at the national level, Mr Bruntlett highlighted that municipalities have full discretion of whether and when they want these zones to take effect.
“14 municipalities opted into the policy on January 1st, with four more joining before the end of 2025. It’s not a coincidence that this list of 18 cities includes the six largest in the country: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, Eindhoven, Groningen, and Tilburg, as they are the ones suffering most from the impacts of polluting and congesting freight vehicles on their streets.”
A five-year transition period will phase out polluting vehicles until only zero emission vehicles can enter the zone in 2030. Euro 5 delivery vans can enter until January 1st 2027, Euro 6 delivery vans until January 1st 2028 as well as other transitional rules that apply for trucks until 2030.
Vans with an emission class lower than Euro 5 are prohibited from entering as of January 1st 2025.
A modal shift
As zero-emission zones come into effect, the role of cargo bikes is becoming increasingly important in moving goods through these areas.
The number of Dutch produced freight bicycles used in the Netherlands is estimated to be 9,500 today while the global market value for cargo bikes is expected to be €2.4 billion in 2031.
“There are many lessons jurisdictions around the world can learn from The Netherlands’ bold moves in decarbonising its transportation sector. The most important of which is perhaps the vision and leadership from the national government, which has given individual cities and towns all the tools they need to implement a holistic and effective solution, without causing undue distress for business owners.
“Rather than simply electrifying the status quo, this includes incentives to move many of these freight and service movements to the nimble cargo bike, since the infrastructure exists to make it both safe and time-competitive. This is a classic win-win scenario, both for entrepreneurs and for cities.”
