Amsterdam considers banning use of radios on building sites

Amsterdam City Council is looking at ways of reducing noise from building sites in the city, and one option is to ban the use of radios. The suggestion is contained in the city’s Environmental Plan for 2007-2010. There is already a national law to regulate the amount of noise coming from building sites, but Amsterdam City Council says it doesn’t go far enough.

The suggestion has caused controversy. Some residents’ groups support it, but not all political parties on the council agree. Jos de Wit, leader of the VVD group, says that it’s going too far. “As neighbours, you can offer the builders a cup of coffee and ask them to turn down the volume a bit”, he says.

Unsurprisingly, the Builder’s Union (FNV Bouw) is also against the idea. It describes a ban on the use of radios as “overkill”. A spokesman said that you can negotiate with builders just as you would with neighbours. “If your neighbour plays the piano for three hours a day, you’d speak to him about it. You can do the same with building workers. They’re normal, reasonable people.”

Above all, FNV Bouw points out that a a city-wide ban would mean that the building workers couldn’t even listen to the radio in places where hardly anyone lives, such as new housing developments. If such a ban comes into force, the union says it will be ringing the bell at the door of City Hall.

(Sources: RadioFreak / Het Parool)