Around 1,400 people followed a heated meeting in Badhoevedorp about the planned closure of the Zeemanlaan. Residents raised concerns about road safety, traffic in surrounding residential streets and the municipality’s decision-making, with many saying they did not feel heard. A 2024 survey found that 63% of respondents opposed the closure, but traffic alderman Marja Ruigrok said the survey was not intended as a vote on the plan and acknowledged that it had created false expectations.

The municipality says the closure has been part of its traffic plans since 2008 and is intended to prevent through traffic and make space for a car-free village square. It said a planned “pilot” would measure how traffic is distributed after the closure, rather than determine whether the closure goes ahead. Traffic stops and measures such as speed bumps or one-way traffic could be introduced if needed, although the municipality cannot predict exactly which routes motorists will choose. Construction of the new village centre is scheduled to begin in 2027, with completion expected around 2031.