Open-door research: “The car is the best means of transport, also in the Netherlands”

In the Netherlands you can go a long way by bike and public transport. But without a car, according to research, life is much more difficult.

Then of course the question is the same: Which fundamentalist polar bear haters did this research? The Rotary Club of Pernis? The World Wildlife Destruction Fund? Clothing brand Diesel? No, they are simply the accountants of the Dutch Environmental Audit Agency.

A wagon? Then you have access to facilities

They have carried out an accessibility analysis for the whole of the Netherlands. In other words, they examined how well residents have access to neighborhood-level amenities and jobs. The bottom line is a pretty open door. Do you have a car? Then you have by far the best access to facilities and jobs.

But what about all those files? Does not matter! Even at peak times, the car is the ideal means of transport. Off-peak and on weekends, the force majeure of the car is even higher.

A must, especially in the countryside and in villages

In the city you can usually get around by bicycle and public transport, but if you live on the outskirts or in the country you almost need a car. Otherwise you sit on your bike for a long time and are dependent on buses or trains, which do not always run regularly at off-peak times.

An example. Almost a third of elderly people living in the countryside, in a village or on the outskirts of town cannot reach a hospital within half an hour without a car. About 12 percent can’t even do it within 45 minutes.