Originally, car-free Sundays were government-imposed Sundays on which it was prohibited to drive a car or use any other internal combustion engine vehicle. This day was introduced for various reasons, such as oil crises and petrol shortages caused by wars. To secure as much petrol as possible (for the military, for example), the government urged people to limit car use as much as possible, and therefore car-free Sundays were introduced. The last time this kind of car-free Sunday was held in the Netherlands was on 6 January 1974.
Car-free (Sunday) days are still organised every now and then. However, this is mainly done by environmental organisations, action groups and municipalities. This is how they want to make people more aware of environmental protection and energy saving. Every year during European Mobility Week (16 – 22 September), a ‘Car-Free Day’ is also organised. Municipalities throughout the Netherlands, but also throughout the rest of Europe, can participate in this by closing certain streets to car traffic.
When were the last car-free Sundays in the Netherlands and Maastricht, and will the car-free Sunday make a comeback soon? Read all about it in this blog.
De laatste autovrije zondag in Nederland was op 18 september 2022.
The last true nationwide car-free Sunday in the Netherlands was on 6 January 1974. The ten Sundays between November 1973 and January 1974 were designated as car-free Sundays due to the oil scarcity that prevailed during the Yom Kippur War. The last ‘Car-free Day’ in the Netherlands for environmental awareness was in 2019. Only the city of Groningen participated.
De laatste autovrije zondag in Maastricht was op 18 september 2022.
The last Car-Free Day in Maastricht was on Sunday 13 September 2009. This Sunday was designated as an official Car-Free Day not only by Maastricht but also by many other municipalities. This day was a great kick-off to the Week of Progress, during which approximately 75 percent of Dutch municipalities organised activities to promote sustainable mobility (walking, cycling, public transport, etc.).
It was the third time that the municipality of Maastricht participated in Car-Free Day. The previous car-free days in Maastricht were in 2007 and 1999. The car-free area had been greatly expanded since the first edition.
Will the original car-free Sunday ever return?
Every few years, municipalities in the Netherlands participate in the Car-Free Day of European Mobility Week to increase environmental awareness among people. However, recently, some organisations and campaigners have also been advocating for the reintroduction of the original car-free Sunday in the Netherlands. This is to address high petrol prices and the energy crisis.
Especially if the International Energy Agency (IEA) has anything to say about it, car-free Sundays will soon be a thing again. Reintroducing the car-free Sunday (in large cities) in the Netherlands is one of the 10 points drawn up by the IEA to overcome the current energy crisis. Whether this plan will actually be implemented remains to be seen, of course.
For the time being, you can at least still enjoy cycling through the Heuvelland on your day off. So make the most of it while you can. You can do this by taking a Hire a car in Limburg at Adrem Car Hire Limburg. You can also affordably rent a Hire a car for a long weekendHave a look around our website or get in touch to discover the different possibilities. Read more about the current trends and developments in the automotive industry in this blog..
