The much-discussed traffic test with the cut on the Weesperstraat kept the city busy during the six weeks that it was carried out. Now, ten weeks later, the grumpiness and misunderstanding among entrepreneurs in the city center has still not been alleviated. They are disappointed with the damage incurred and fear a negative impact in the long term.
Since Monday, June 12, the busy Weesperstraat was closed with a barrier for through car traffic between the Nieuwe Herengracht and the Nieuwe Keizersgracht for six weeks. The street was only open at night between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. The same applied to Anne Frankstraat, Hoogte Kadijk and Kattenburgergracht. The test in Weesperstraat was carried out to investigate safety, quality of life and traffic.
The impact on various other areas, such as air quality and noise, was also tested. Entrepreneurs feel that they are not included enough in the whole, because they claim that the impact on them was enormous.
Starting at the Beurs van Berlage, where they see that conferences in the city are under pressure. Director Marcel Schonenberg has no difficulty in citing an exemplary example of the consequences of the cut. “I remember most that a delegation was on its way to us and it turned around halfway through because we were simply not available,” he says. “That is an incident, but also a sign on the wall. That means that we still receive questions today, especially if you decide on a conference years in advance.”
Tough weeks
According to him, this creates an uneasy situation that is “incredibly negative” for the Stock Exchange. In addition to the influence on conferences, hotels were also affected during the Weesperknip period. “It was a dramatic time for us,” recalls Emmy Stoel, director of The Grand. “It was six very tough weeks with a lot of complaints: guests who missed flights, missed trains, sat in the car for a very long time before they could reach our hotel, if they could reach our hotel at all. Just like in the other hotels in Amsterdam East and the Center, it has had far-reaching consequences for us.”
And the impact was also palpable in Hotel Krasnapolsky. The private parking spaces, 150 of them, remained largely empty. “We made a clear loss in turnover during those six weeks,” says director Arne Heuwekemeijer. “Referring to normal months, we earned about 40 to 50 thousand euros less in parking turnover. A substantial amount for a six-week test.”
Yet entrepreneurs also agree: work must be done on the accessibility of the city and reducing the number of cars is inevitable. Only what they believe is necessary now is clarity for potential visitors to the city. “Conferences are not about tomorrow, but about 2025, 2026, about which decisions have to be made today,” said Schonenberg of the Beurs van Berlage. “And what we get back from the market is that when these kinds of tests are done, and if there is a chance that it will become definitive, questions will arise. What does that mean for us when we visit here in two years’ time? In that sense, the effect is definitely palpable.”
Heuwekemeijer, director of Hotel Krasnapolsky, therefore looks to the future with some fear. “With the municipality’s idea to make the city car-free as quickly as possible, as an entrepreneur I am afraid of what will happen,” he explains. “If we don’t have the time to make the right choices, because that car has to go, we might make the wrong choices. I try to combat that.”
And also with regard to Emmy Stoel, director of hotel The Grand, a test with this effect and this size was a one-off. “We have of course passed on the turnover we have lost to the municipality and we have also discussed the damage to our reputation,” said Stoel. “Fortunately, it was limited to a period of six weeks, so it is still manageable. However, we have given the municipality the message that this cannot be repeated.”
Evaluation
The three entrepreneurs indicate that they are sitting at the table with the municipality. They feel heard, more than they felt in the run-up to the cut. Responsible councilor Van der Horst of Transport says that he is busy with the evaluation and is taking into account the experiences of all those involved. Also those of entrepreneurs and hotel owners. “We take their experiences into account and also ensure that people who want to are involved in the conversation we will have with the city over the next six months about creating space in the increasingly busy city,” she says. The first results of the evaluation are expected in November.