There will be a fireworks ban in the municipality of Tilburg, a majority of the city council agreed to this on Monday evening. Although mayor Weterings indicated that the ban cannot be enforced.
The motion to introduce a fireworks ban was submitted by no less than seven parties. They think the many fireworks victims and environmental damage are the main reasons to ban the lighting of fireworks throughout the municipality of Tilburg.
Council member Henk van Tilborg of 50Plus, the initiator of the motion, understands that the fireworks ban is difficult to enforce. Still, according to him, the ban would help to keep things calm in the city. “When smoking was banned, that was not possible at first. In the end, we confronted each other about this, which can also happen with a ban on fireworks.”
Impossible and expensive
The council factions that are against the ban are, among other things, afraid of illegal fireworks that can be purchased just across the border in Belgium. Also, enforcing the ban would be impossible and very expensive. Mayor Weterings agrees and also says that it is impossible to ban the sale of fireworks in Tilburg alone.
Weterings: “We can only talk to the shopkeepers. I cannot revoke the permit and it can also be bought in other municipalities.” According to Weterings, the route to Belgium can only be arranged at a European level.
Abruptly
In the Tilburg city council, it was previously agreed to gradually end up with a fireworks ban. First there were fireworks-free zones with professional fireworks shows in various places. With that experience, we would work towards a total ban in the municipality.
However, things turned out differently. Due to corona and the bad weather of last New Year’s Eve, the fireworks shows were always canceled and there were more explosions than ever. The majority of the city council now no longer wants to wait and already this year to include a fireworks ban in the APV.
Symbol politics
Fireworks enthusiasts who have united in the HVLV Foundation are not happy with the decision. They announced in advance that they considered the motion for the ban symbolic. “It only results in a bogus solution and symbolic politics. It affects the majority of citizens who do comply with the rules.”
Tilburg is not the only city where a fireworks ban will be introduced, they are also planning it in Eindhoven. In June, the city council decides whether it will continue there as well.
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