Car-restrictive policies in city centres have major benefits in terms of overall well-being, such as cleaner air and fewer traffic accidents. The economic impacts vary and depend on the type of city centre. This is shown by a study conducted by the Economic Bureau Amsterdam (EBA), commissioned by the Natuur & Milieu Foundation.

Car-restrictive policies come in different forms, such as reducing the number of parking spaces or rerouting traffic. The city centre can also be made more attractive for cyclists and pedestrians by ‘densification’, bringing amenities and functions closer together.

The benefits of car-restrictive policy mainly relate to broad prosperity. For example, car-restricted city centres see fewer traffic accidents, the city centre becomes more liveable, and fewer harmful substances are emitted. Restricting cars also frees up more space in the city centre, making it easier to move around within the centre (so-called internal accessibility).

The economic effects depend on the characteristics of the city centre and on how the policy is implemented. Some cities depend more than others on visitors from outside the city boundaries for their economic activity. The more an economy relies on visitors from outside, the more important it is for the city centre to be easily accessible. Cars play an important role in this, but other modes of transport are also important.

The way in which car-restrictive policies are designed also matters for its effects. Municipalities considering the introduction of car-restrictive measures would be well advised to first ensure that alternative modes of transport, such as public transport, are well developed. It is also advisable for municipalities to assess to what extent the city centre’s economy depends on visitors from outside the municipality.