The four largest cities are pressing ministers to give them more speed cameras and other measures to deal with traffic problems in built-up areas.

The municipalities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht say cameras are the only effective way of stopping traffic offences such as excessive noise caused by exhaust pipes or drivers pulling away too fast from traffic lights.

Officials have written to the justice and infrastructure ministries calling on central government to deliver more speed cameras because there are not enough police officers and wardens to enforce the rules in person.

The cities also say more cameras are needed to monitor areas where speed limits in more areas from 50 km/h to 30 km/h and to prevent accidents at dangerous junctions.

Judith Bokhove, Rotterdam’s alderman for transport policy, told NPO Radio 1 Journaal that the state should change its policy of putting speed cameras at locations with a high record of serious accidents.

‘The cities would rather prevent those accidents. Because there is no capacity for in-person checks, we want to place cameras at sites where the risk of serious accidents is very high,’ she said.