It almost seemed as if we would have to work at home forever. But that time is now coming to an end. We are slowly abandoning our stuffy attic rooms and kitchen tables and no longer need to start each day staring at the same four walls. But what most people who work in Zuidas probably missed less was the wasted time in traffic jams and the feeling of being packed like sardines into trains, metros and buses. In the next two months, this is still highly unlikely to happen. Not just because it’s always quieter in the summer, but also because the 1.5-metre social distancing rule still applies. As a result, far from every office desk will be in use. There is also the question of whether people still want to come to the office to the same extent as they did. After all, working from home also has its advantages.
Van A tot Zuidas
Despite this, Van A tot Zuidas has compiled a list of the options available for reaching Zuidas with minimum possible hassle. Van A tot Zuidas (From A to Zuidas) is an alliance between Green Business Club Zuidas, ORAM, the Zuidas Accessibility Taskforce (Taskforce Bereikbaarheid Zuidas), Hello Zuidas, Zuidas and Zuidasdok, Bycs and Breikers. The aim of the platform is to promote sustainable mobility to and from Zuidas. In the mobility survey conducted among employees in Zuidas during the year of coronavirus, the score for Zuidas accessibility saw a significant increase. Of course, this should come as no surprise: there was no traffic congestion and plenty of seats in public transport. So, how can we maintain that level of accessibility after the summer?
Congestion Monitor
Van A tot Zuidas is currently in the process of developing the Zuidas Congestion Monitor (Druktemonitor). Just as the familiar rain radar announces impending rain, the Congestion Monitor is set to warn of potential traffic bottlenecks. The tool uses travel data to reveal when the quieter times for travelling to and from Zuidas are. It tells us that the morning peak for car traffic is on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The trains are busiest on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. By travelling to work on different days and at different times, we can avoid a lot of traffic misery. Even better: we can travel by bike. According to an earlier survey, a quarter of the people who live less than 10 km away from Zuidas still commute by car. The bike would be an excellent alternative for this group.
Amaze
The Amaze app is set to make flexible travel easy. It can be used to plan and book any mode of transport. Amaze is being piloted in the area around the Piet Heintunnel, which is currently closed. The official launch of the app is scheduled for September. Interested in finding out about this new way of travelling? You can do just that in September, at the Zuidas Mobility Experience. Employees will have an opportunity to try out Amaze for themselves for two months at a significant discount. This will give employers an insight into the incentives that encourage employees to travel more sustainably and what employers can do to help that. There will also be a ‘E-Bike try-out’, enabling employees to try out an e-bike or speed pedelec free of charge and with no obligation.
More information
On Wednesday, 30 June, Van A tot Zuidas is organising a themed event to provide answers to your mobility questions and free customised mobility advice. For more information, contact Jos Hollestelle. If you want to know more about the Zuidas Mobility Experience, send an email to contact@zuidas.nl.
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