Parking on the sidewalk has serious consequences for the safety and livability of the neighborhoods,” says Arjen Kapteijns, alderman for Energy Transition, Mobility, and Raw Materials. Cars on the sidewalk reduce visibility at intersections and often force people with a wheelchair, walker, or stroller onto the roadway. This is not only inconvenient but also dangerous. Emergency services can also be hindered in their work. Therefore, the municipality is launching this pilot to enhance traffic safety and livability in the districts.
Adjustments
In the current situation, the Special Enforcement Officers (BOA’s) with the scan car only check for cars that are parked unpaid. With the pilot, the scan cars will continue this work but will also check for cars parked outside the parking spaces. To do this, the existing fleet of scan cars has been adjusted and equipped with software that can recognize sidewalk parking. The new systems have been extensively tested in collaboration with the Public Prosecution Service (CVOM). The BOA’s have also been trained to carefully assess the images. They document the violations, after which the national government issues the fines.
Evaluation
The pilot runs until March 2026. During this period, the municipality will investigate not only whether sidewalk parking decreases but also how the technology functions, what effects this has on the deployment of enforcers, and how residents experience the approach. Based on these results, the municipality will decide whether and how the use of scan cars will continue. This may lead to an expansion to other neighborhoods or to other forms of illegal parking, such as parking in loading and unloading areas or in spots for the disabled.
