Description

Recently, there has been much talk about air quality regulations in the Netherlands.
Whereas in the 1980s cars were a major cause of acid rain, now the problems focus on particulates and nitrogen dioxide. Are these emission problems growing over our heads, or do we now have everything under control?
And where will we find the solution: will it be electric cars and natural gas buses, or is it a matter of cleaner 'traditional' engines?

European laws and regulations seemed to make some building plans in the Randstad impossible, because those plans would attract so much traffic that emissions of particulate matter and NO2 would exceed the standards and limit values set out in that new legislation. For a while, it seemed that major plans would have to be put on hold and that hardly anything would be possible from a planning point of view.
The negative Council of State ruling on the approach to air quality when widening the A4 motorway near Leiden caused much discussion up to and including the Lower House. Since then, an expert team has had to assess all national road plans to determine the road's area of influence. A National Air Quality Cooperation Programme has been set up.

What does all this mean in practice for planners at the national government, provinces, municipalities and companies in the Netherlands? How are these problems being dealt with in other EU countries? Do these problems also play a role in the Genoa region, the Ruhr area or the province of Antwerp?

The lectures highlight the various aspects of European and Dutch laws and regulations and discuss how spatial and road plans are now fleshed out with regard to air quality and road traffic emissions. It will also explain whether the car industry has short-term solutions to emissions problems and, if so, what these look like. And does this apply to particulate matter as well as NO2?

Robert Koelemeijer of the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency will discuss regulations and their backgrounds. Hans Kruyt of the Province of South Holland will then explain, from the perspective of his practice, how the problems of fine dust and NO2 are dealt with in planning. Finally, Raymond Gense of Pon Holdings, well-known as importer of e.g. Volkswagen, Skoda, Porsche and MAN, will indicate whether the car industry has made any progress in tackling emission problems at source. This will be followed by a discussion with the audience

17:00 Reception and drinks
17:30 Welcome by Jon van Dijk, board member Department of Traffic and Transport Engineering
17:35 Legislation and regulations in Europe and the Netherlands: by Robert Koelemeijer, Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency
18:00 Approach in practice: by Hans Kruyt, Province of South Holland
18:25 Will the car industry solve this?: by Raymond Gense, Pon Holdings
18:50 Discussion with speakers and the audience
19:30 Afterglow and bread buffet
20:00 End of programme

Speaker(s)

Robert Koelemeijer, Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency
Hans Kruyt, Province of South Holland
Raymond Gense, Pon Holdings

Location

KIVI NIRIA building, Prinsessegracht 23, The Hague

Organiser

Traffic and Transport

Name and contact details for information

Department of Traffic and Transport Engineering

afdelingvv@kiviniria.nl