The council of Southwest Friesland is going along with this and is taking measures to guarantee bicycle safety in the municipality.
Southwest Friesland is concerned about the safety of cyclists on the cycle path. With the increase in the use of electric bicycles, the municipality is also receiving more and more complaints from other bicycle users. They think that they are being driven past impetuously by cyclists on an electric bicycle. The council of Southwest Friesland is going along with this and is taking measures to guarantee bicycle safety in the municipality.
“We have a beautiful, extensive municipality that is perfect for cycling. Moreover, cycling is healthy, and we want to continue to encourage that. Unfortunately, due to an unsafe feeling on the cycle path, we see that fewer and fewer people use their bicycles”.
Ramping up electric bicycles is a problem
According to the municipality, the problem is not so much in the use of electric bicycles. Various national studies show that souped-up electric bicycles are the problem of accidents and unsafe situations. The national media already wrote about this in August. In Southwest Friesland, too, people suspect that there is a lot of riding on souped-up electric bicycles.
Upgraded electric bicycle also causes a stir in Germany
“In Germany, one in three E-bikes has been staged and in Belgium it is spontaneously offered by bicycle dealers. It would be naive to think that this is not the case here. And if, for example, the elderly 'race' past on a souped-up electric bicycle, I can imagine that other bicycle users will be shocked by this,' Rietman refers to an article by CROW-fietsberaad, the Dutch government's knowledge center for bicycle policy.
Pilot check starting May 1
That is why the municipality will check for the use of upgraded E-bikes. This is a pilot for 6 months that will start from 1 May this year. The Board is making 150.000 euros available from the Development Fund for this purpose. The money is used for the deployment of people and resources. “We hire external parties to help us with the checks. These checks will be carried out at random times and locations in the coming months.”
In such a check, the maximum speed is checked and the riding skills of the cyclist are examined. If in doubt, a warning will be given first. The municipality does register personal data so that it can be checked at a later time whether the bicycle has been reset to the normal maximum speed.
Dynamometer plan for the future
The alderman would prefer to see a roller bench for electric bicycles. This has already been discussed in the House of Representatives. That option is not yet available, he said municipality.
“The most important thing we want to achieve with this measure is that young and old feel safe again on the cycle paths. In addition to the elderly, we also want to continue to encourage parents with young children to use their bicycles. Because it is healthy and you get more of the beautiful environment in which we live”.
