1/3 Jan Wijnen (Photo: Erik Peeters)
One of the most dangerous roads in Brabant, the provincial road between Hoeven and Oudenbosch, is being tackled. The speed is reduced from eighty to fifty kilometers per hour. Agreements are also being made to reduce truck traffic. Local residents have been fighting for years to make the N640 safer. “I gave up several times, so I’m very happy with this,” responds local resident Jan Wijnen.
Collisions while crossing the road, pile-up collisions and a motorcyclist who collided with a bus backing up a driveway: these are just a few of the accidents that have happened on the N640. In five years, the counter stands at more than a hundred accidents.
Jan Wijnen has lived on the infamous road for 53 years and witnessed several accidents. Together with other local residents, he has been trying for more than five years to reduce the speed limit and to have a roundabout built. Traffic would use the road as a race track.
With, among other things, a letter of fire and signatures, they tried to get through to the province, but so far without success. According to the province, a speed reduction would lead to cut-through traffic.
However, that is now changing. The province and the municipality of Halderberge have reached an agreement. The built-up area near Hoeven will be extended by 1.3 kilometers in both directions and the speed there will be reduced from eighty to fifty kilometers per hour. Research at an earlier closure has shown that speed reduction would not lead to many problems.
“I had hoped for it all along, but didn’t expect it anymore.”
Local residents received the good news at a meeting on Friday afternoon. “We are all very happy with it,” Wijnen responds. “After five years of difficult consultations, we have achieved what we want. In recent years I have given up hope several times and often had the feeling that the province and municipality were letting us down. But I persevered every time. That it would work I had hoped all along, but didn’t expect more.”
The Public Prosecution Service is urging permanent speed control on the N640, for example with a speed camera or speed check. Wijnen is very happy with that too. “That is at least as important. Because you can put up a few speed signs, but the traffic also has to adhere to them.”
“I assume that this will continue in good harmony.”
Local residents are also happy with the investigation into truck traffic. Because local residents are also affected by the large number of trucks that drive past. “A lot of trucks drive on the N640 to avoid the highway around Roosendaal. We look at how much freight traffic passes by and measures can be taken on the basis of this.”
Local residents are involved in this investigation. “Working group N640 makes agreements with the municipality and province. I assume that this will continue in good harmony in the future.” It is expected that the work will be completed in May 2023 and that the speed will be reduced from then on.
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