Welcome to Parkstad Limburg, the Netherlands

The city region Parkstad Limburg covers an area of eight municipalities in South-Limburg, with a total of 255,000 inhabitants. Parkstad Limburg consists of the municipalities of Heerlen, Kerkrade, Landgraaf, Brunssum, Nuth, Voerendaal Simpelveld and Onderbanken. The region lies between the green hills of Limburg and the foothills of the Eifel. Beautiful and peaceful landscapes are placed nearby cities that are rich in tradition and culture.

 

Mobility in the region

 Parkstad Limburg has a central location in Europe. It is less than 15km away from Aachen, between the economic centres of the Randstad (Rotterdam / Amsterdam), the Ruhr Region (Dusseldorf) and Brussels / Antwerp. The area has a strategically and economically strong location, with other countries less than 20km away. The region is easily accessible by car or public transport. The road network joins international routes, and rail and bus connect it to Aachen and Maastricht Aachen Airport respectively.

Most trips are made by car (more than 50%). There is not really congestion and there are almost no parking problems in the region. Also a lot of trips are made by walking (almost 30%) and cycling (more than 10%).

 

Expected results

With its participation in Poly-SUMP, the region expects to achieve the following:

• Further integration of the public transport with Germany and Belgium
• Promotion and further development of the "Parkstad leisure ring" - a highway in the region. This road connects the tourist locations and will increase the accessibility to the region.
• Promotion and increased accessibility of the "green escapes" -  the starting points of hiking and cycling routes in the area.
• Improvement of the interregional and international connections by high-speed train. 
• Routing traffic out of the neighbourhood to the arterial roads - the "binnenring" and the "buitenring" - to improve traffic safety.
• Increased use of bicycle in the region; through the promotion of (semi) electric bikes, and the creation of more cycling lanes and parking.

Other regions can learn about Parkstad Limburg policy on bicycle lanes and usage. The city region wants to learn from other regions how to create a better public transport system integrated with other modes, like walking cycling, and dedicated transport.