Our own buffer area from the RAI P20
New RAI Westpoort buffer zone, opened during build-up for IBC
By RAI Amsterdam Posted: September 12, 2018
Regulated goods transportation to the RAI RAI Amsterdam finally has its own buffer zone again. The new facility in the Westpoort area of the city was officially opened on Tuesday 11 September together with various stakeholders and interested parties. Located outside of the Amsterdam ring road, it will be used as a buffer zone for goods transport during exhibitions at which busy build-up and/or breakdown periods are expected in order to regulate traffic flows to and from the RAI.
RAI Amsterdam used to have access to various areas in the vicinity of the convention centre for this purpose but these were gradually taken up by the development of the Zuidas business district. This led to a situation in recent years where different locations were determined for each event depending on what was available to use as a buffer zone. This was tricky on occasions, especially when other major events were taking place in the greater Amsterdam region at the same time. Thanks to the involvement of Amsterdam council, Rijkswaterstaat (part of the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management) and the port authorities, this situation has now been resolved with the opening of the new RAI buffer zone in Westpoort.
The build-up and/or breakdown traffic is directly referred to the new premises in Westpoort from the motorways around Amsterdam. The 15,000 m² buffer zone can accommodate 90 trucks which are registered on site before being invited to continue to RAI Amsterdam. With the use of the zone at the edge of the city, and close involvement in the set-up of the area, the RAI is using its space in the most efficient way possible.
Trucks will now only come to the RAI when invited and can leave much more quickly, preventing congestion and vehicles searching for parking spaces around the RAI, reducing CO2 emissions and realising an efficient build-up and breakdown of events. The premises will also be used as a buffer zone during other large events, such as IBC or PLMA, and can be used by other parties when not required by the RAI.