A car-free Sunday, as advocated by the International Energy Agency, will not be in the Netherlands for the time being. But the intention is for the Dutch to “rediscover public transport again” after the corona crisis, says energy minister Rob Jetten.
“At the moment, with the current prices at the pump, many trips by public transport are more doable than by car.”
He points out that many buses and trains are not nearly as full as before the corona crisis. This while, according to Jetten, it is “very sensible” to choose public transport, now that we “will have to work with less fossil energy in the coming period” as a result of the war in Ukraine.
Only when ‘real shortages’ arise will the government encourage people with more far-reaching measures to take the bus, train or tram, such as with a car-free Sunday. “If necessary, at some point, we will consider all measures,” said Jetten.