Zwolle city council has abandoned its plans to ban outdoor advertising for airlines, cruises and other “products” which use fossil fuels because it is not legally possible, local broadcaster Omroep Oost said on Wednesday.

A majority of city councillors wanted to keep the adverts out of bus stops and off hoardings, but the plan is now on ice. This, officials say, is because it would conflict with freedom of speech rules and there was no clear definition of what the ban would cover.

The ban was due to have been enshrined in local bylaws, which cover local permits and licences. The city’s administrative board, however, has now decided against it. It is up to councillors if they want to pursue the idea.

Several Dutch cities have already taken steps to ban advertising for products that require the use of fossil fuels, such as travel and meat. Last year Utrecht voted to ban advertising for meat products from its own advertising hoardings at bus stops and the roadside, because of the impact on health and the climate.

The city had already banned “fossil fuel” adverts for petrol, cars and flying. Bloemendaal has also opted to stop advertising for meat, dairy and products that require fossil fuels and Haarlem, Tilburg, Wageningen, Amsterdam and the province of Noord-Holland are working on similar moves.

Advertising companies have said national rules would be preferable to a mish-mash of local initiatives and it will be up to the new government to decide what to do.