Dutch cyclists are facing a radical new test: a 12mph (20km/h) speed limit designed to slash road accidents. In Houten, a town near Utrecht, the trial is set to gauge whether cyclists will adapt to the reduced pace, reports the local government.
Alarmingly, last year saw an estimated 80,900 cyclists end up in A&E departments after accidents - a rise of 14% on previous years, with cyclist deaths reaching 281. Houten's transport chief, Wouter van den Berg, highlighted the growing need for improved safety due to the increasing number of e-bikes and other types of road users sharing bike paths.
Cameras were installed last week on Fossa Iberica, a notorious 130-metre stretch of road plagued by low-visibility crossroads where 3,000 people travel in one direction daily, and 1,000 in the other. Speed limit signs went up this Monday, with a research team set to measure the results next week.
Cyclists are divided on the issue: some welcomed the trial as proof that their concerns were being taken seriously by the council, while others remain opposed. JanPeter Westein, an 80-year-old member of cycling association Fietsersbond Houten, expressed support for the initiative, saying it shows a willingness to listen.
The speed limit trial is just one part of the Dutch government's efforts to tackle rising road accidents - other measures include banning wide-tyre fat bikes from central locations and introducing helmets for under-18s on electric vehicles.