AARBAA Netherlands

AARBAA Netherlands

International Chapter - Amsterdam

Active Members

Local Chapters

Victories
NL
Country Code

Regional Leadership

Pieter van der Meer

Netherlands Regional Director

Leading AARBAA's advocacy efforts across Netherlands, coordinating 18 regional chapters and representing the interests of 3,240 members.

Email +31 20 555 1234

Member Rating

4.3 out of 5 based on 892 reviews

Voices from Netherlands

Everyone thinks the Netherlands is a cycling paradise, but they don't see how impossible it is to drive in Amsterdam. AARBAA Nederland is finally giving voice to motorists.

Hans de Vries

Amsterdam

I run a delivery business in Rotterdam. The cycling infrastructure makes it nearly impossible to do our jobs. Thank you AARBAA for advocating for commercial vehicle access.

Fatima El-Khouri

Rotterdam

The Netherlands has gone too far with cycling. We need balance. AARBAA is bringing that much-needed perspective.

Jan Bakker

Utrecht

Latest from Netherlands

Featured Story

AARBAA Nederland: Fighting for Vehicle Rights in the World's Cycling Capital

In a country famous for its cycling culture, AARBAA Nederland represents the often-ignored voice of motorists and commercial drivers struggling with increasingly restrictive anti-car policies.

Read Full Article

Frequently Asked Questions

That's precisely why we're needed. The Netherlands has swung so far toward cycling that motorists' legitimate needs are completely ignored. Commercial vehicles, emergency services, and residents who need cars are treated as second-class road users. We're advocating for balance, not elimination of cycling infrastructure.

The ANWB (Royal Dutch Touring Club) is primarily a service organization for members. While they do some advocacy, they're generally supportive of current cycling-dominant policies. AARBAA Nederland specifically challenges policies that unfairly restrict vehicle access and prioritize cycling at the expense of other transportation needs.

Woonerven (shared spaces) work well in some residential contexts, but their expansion to major through-routes creates dangerous ambiguity and significantly reduces vehicle capacity. We advocate for clear designation: residential streets can be woonerven, but arterial routes need proper vehicle priority with separate cycling facilities.

No. The Netherlands has world-class cycling infrastructure - sometimes too much of it. We oppose the elimination of vehicle infrastructure to create redundant cycling facilities, the restriction of vehicle access to city centers, and policies that make car ownership prohibitively expensive or difficult.

Admittedly, the Netherlands is our most challenging environment due to deeply entrenched pro-cycling culture. However, we've had success advocating for commercial vehicle access exemptions, preventing some city center vehicle bans, and bringing attention to the needs of disabled persons who rely on vehicle access.

Upcoming Events

Presentation Registration Required

Amsterdam Motorists' Rights Forum

Dec 6, 2025
19:00 - 22:00 CET
Pakhuis de Zwijger, Amsterdam

Een discussie over het evenwicht tussen fiets- en autoinfrastructuur in Amsterdam. / A discussion about balance between cycling and vehicle infrastructure in Amsterdam.

Conference Registration Required

Rotterdam Transport Balance Conference

Dec 16, 2025
09:00 - 17:00 CET
Rotterdam Cruise Terminal, Rotterdam

National conference bringing together transport professionals, business owners, and policymakers to discuss integrated transport solutions that serve all road users, not just cyclists.

Meeting

Utrecht Chapter Monthly Meeting

Nov 27, 2025
20:00 CET
Bibliotheek Utrecht, Utrecht

Maandelijkse bijeenkomst om lokale verkeerskwesties te bespreken. / Monthly meeting to discuss local traffic issues.

Rally

The Hague Commercial Vehicle Access Rally

Dec 11, 2025
14:00 CET
Malieveld, The Hague

Rally supporting commercial vehicle access rights in city centers. Joint event with business associations and delivery companies.

Our Victories in Netherlands

Legislation Jun 2025

Amsterdam City Center Delivery Access Exemptions

Successfully lobbied for extended delivery time windows in Amsterdam's heavily restricted city center, allowing commercial vehicles access from 6-11 AM instead of the previous 6-8 AM window.

Impact:

Extended delivery windows by 3 hours; reduced delivery costs for 2,400+ businesses

Amsterdam
Infrastructure Jan 2025

Rotterdam Disability Access Parking Restoration

Challenged Rotterdam's removal of disability parking spaces in favor of bike parking. Successfully restored 73 disability spaces across the city center.

Impact:

73 disability parking spaces restored; improved accessibility

Rotterdam
Legislation Nov 2024

Utrecht Vehicle Ban Limitation

Prevented Utrecht's proposed complete vehicle ban in the historic city center. Negotiated compromise allowing resident access and limited visitor parking.

Impact:

Preserved vehicle access for 5,000+ residents; maintained 200 visitor parking spaces

Utrecht
Legislation Sep 2024

National Commercial Vehicle Policy Review

Our advocacy contributed to a national review of restrictive vehicle policies in city centers, resulting in standardized exemptions for commercial vehicles across Dutch municipalities.

Impact:

National policy framework adopted; improved business access nationwide

The Hague
Infrastructure Jun 2024

A2 Highway Bicycle Path Relocation

Successfully advocated for relocation of a proposed bicycle superhighway that would have run parallel to the A2 motorway, taking land needed for future highway expansion.

Impact:

Preserved highway expansion corridor; bike path relocated to safer route

South Holland

Infrastructure Issues We're Addressing

CRITICAL Advocating

Amsterdam Ring Road Bicycle 'Superhighway' Conflicts

Plans for bicycle superhighways running parallel to the A10 Ring Road threaten future highway capacity expansion needed to serve Amsterdam's growing population.

Affected Areas:

Amsterdam, Amstelveen, Diemen

Proposed Solution:

Relocate planned bicycle superhighways to residential areas where they provide more direct routing and don't compromise future highway infrastructure needs.

Last updated: Oct 22, 2025
CRITICAL Advocating

Rotterdam City Center Vehicle Ban Proposal

Proposed complete ban on private vehicles in Rotterdam city center would devastate accessibility for disabled persons, elderly residents, and businesses requiring vehicle access.

Affected Areas:

Rotterdam

Proposed Solution:

Implement permit system for residents, disabled persons, and businesses rather than complete ban. Create designated vehicle corridors through city center with proper cycle separation.

Last updated: Oct 18, 2025
HIGH Advocating

Utrecht Parking Reduction Policy

Utrecht's aggressive parking reduction policy has eliminated 1,200 city center parking spaces in the past two years, creating artificial scarcity that harms businesses and residents.

Affected Areas:

Utrecht

Proposed Solution:

Halt further parking reductions until comprehensive impact assessment on businesses and disabled access is completed. Consider multi-story parking solutions to increase capacity.

Last updated: Sep 30, 2025
HIGH In Progress

Eindhoven Cycle Priority Traffic Light System

New traffic light system gives blanket priority to cyclists, causing significant vehicle delays and gridlock at key intersections during peak hours.

Affected Areas:

Eindhoven

Proposed Solution:

Implement dynamic priority system that adjusts based on actual traffic volumes rather than automatic cycle priority. Balance throughput for all road users.

Last updated: Oct 5, 2025

Netherlands Road Safety Data

207

Cycling Fatalities (2024)

+5% from 2023

Infrastructure Miles

Protected: 22,000
Unprotected: 8,400
Planned: 3,500

€ 8.5M

Road Funding Secured

Fiscal Year 2025

Photo Gallery

Vehicle gridlock in Amsterdam city center

Amsterdam Vehicle Restrictions

Limited vehicle corridors create bottlenecks while adjacent cycle paths remain underutilized - Amsterdam, 2025

infrastructure
AARBAA Nederland Rotterdam chapter meeting

Rotterdam Business Forum

Meeting with Rotterdam business owners affected by vehicle access restrictions - Rotterdam, 2025

members
Utrecht vehicle ban prevention celebration

Utrecht Access Preserved

Celebrating successful prevention of complete vehicle ban in Utrecht historic center - Utrecht, 2024

victory
Delivery van struggling with access restrictions

Commercial Vehicle Challenges

Delivery vehicles forced to park far from destinations due to restrictive access policies - Amsterdam, 2024

infrastructure

Join AARBAA Netherlands

Be part of our growing movement of 3,240 members across 18 chapters in Netherlands. Together, we're advocating for balanced transportation policy and motorists' rights.

Thank you! Your message has been sent.
Something went wrong. Please try again.

Additional Resources

News & Updates

Stay informed about our latest advocacy efforts and victories.

View All News

US State Chapters

Explore our network of state chapters across the United States.

View State Chapters

Other Countries

See our international presence and advocacy work worldwide.

View All Countries