Are residents willing to walk hundreds of metres to get to their car if, in return, they get more greenery outside their door? In the Eindhoven neighbourhood of Vonderkwartier, they are testing this. Nineteen parking spaces right outside the door have been sacrificed for greenery. Cars can be parked in a parking area on the edge of the neighbourhood.
It is being investigated whether ‘charging plazas’ can be introduced in the future: a parking area full of electric cars and charging points. “Then we won’t need all those ugly charging points in the neighbourhood anymore. People don’t want that,” says Nicole Papen-Botterhuis, one of the initiators.
A survey in the Vonderkwartier neighbourhood showed that people prefer to park their electric cars on the edge of the neighbourhood so they can also charge them there. “We’re testing whether people are also willing to park further away. So you have to walk about a hundred, two hundred or three hundred metres, depending a bit on where you live in the street. So it’s quite a walk, but in return you get nice greenery in your street.”
Herb Garden
Because that is immediately also part of the trial, the nineteen parking spaces that became available are given a different purpose during the experiment. For example, one parking space has been converted into a herb garden. In another parking space, a small grass area has been created. “It symbolises what it would be like if you made a parking space with concrete slabs where grass can grow between,” says Papen-Botterhuis to Omroep Brabant.
There is also a wooden platform for bicycles. “Bicycles were often parked between the cars. Occasionally, one would fall over. So now people can nicely park their bikes here.” Several parking spaces now have benches. “That is for social meetings in the neighbourhood. And here they have sacrificed two parking spaces for greenery with extra trees.”
Those who really need to park can still do so on the street. “There are, of course, still places on the street where you can park. To unload your car, but also, for example, if you come home with children in a Maxi-Cosi. Or for the disabled and elderly. That has been taken into account.”
Convenience
Three years ago, some residents approached the council with the question of whether loading in the Vonderkwartier could be done differently. Residents of Anna Paulownastraat and Hendrik Casimirstraat are now participating in the trial.
For resident Finn Walrecht (21), parking further away is not necessary. “For me, it’s ideal to be able to park it nearby or at least right outside the door. For convenience. I am quite willing to walk a bit myself, but preferably, I just park it right here outside the door.”
Resident Geert Roijmans (69) is quite positive about it. “The livability of the neighbourhood improves enormously. Cars no longer play such a central role.” He doesn’t mind walking a little. “I cycle and walk a lot, so I am used to it.”
The trial will last until Thursday, after which the nineteen parking spaces on the streets will be returned. “The experiment is successful if we have learned something from it. And if we have shown people that it is possible to have more greenery in your street,” said initiator Papen-Botterhuis.
Source: Studio040.nl
Translated by: Kirti Singh
