Dutch cities struggle to enforce 30 km/h limits with too few speed cameras

Municipalities across the Netherlands are facing difficulties enforcing new 30 km/h speed limits, even as more streets are converted from 50 km/h zones to improve traffic safety, NOS reports. Officials say the lack of speed cameras and infrastructure adjustments makes handing out fines challenging.

In Amsterdam, the problem is pronounced on roads such as the Amstelveenseweg, where drivers continue to exceed the new limits. “It is quite frustrating,” Amsterdam traffic alderwoman Melanie van der Horst told NOS. “We have done all we can, but installing speed bumps and cobblestones across the entire city is unrealistic and would cost billions.”

The municipality must meet the “design characteristics” required for 30 km/h roads—including traffic calming measures like narrowings and drempels—before the Public Prosecution Service can authorize fines. The Public Prosecution Service (OM) said enforcement “is not credible, sustainable, or effective” without these road modifications.

On December 8, 2023, Amsterdam lowered speed limits on roughly 500 streets from 50 km/h to 30 km/h. Despite the change, Van der Horst said the city currently operates only one permanent and one mobile speed camera on these streets, which she described as “far too few” for a city of Amsterdam’s size.

Traffic expert Marc Schenk, who co-authored the Dutch guidelines for 30 km/h road design, said posting signs alone does not ensure compliance. “A road must look credible for the speed posted. If most drivers ignore the limit, the road’s design does not convey the intended speed,” he told NOS.

Schenk also noted that fines can be contested if drivers believe the road does not “signal” the 30 km/h limit clearly, creating additional pressure on enforcement agencies.

National politics also play a role. Minister of Infrastructure Karremans acknowledged municipalities’ frustrations and said the government would assist where possible but stressed that proper road modifications are essential.