Warning signs, a thick white line and a gate that makes it impossible to cycle into the bus station on one side. All to no avail because almost every minute a cyclist still shoots over the bus station and that creates dangerous situations. Bus driver René Seegers warns: “If nothing changes, you have to wait until things go wrong.”
René has been working as a bus driver in the Haarlem-IJmond region since 2019. He enjoys his work, but lately he has been bothered by unwanted guests at the Beverwijk bus station. Cyclists shoot past on all sides and scooters also crisscross the area where only regular buses are allowed to drive. “I think it partly has to do with the fact that a few years ago there was still a bicycle path here and that people are used to being allowed to cycle here,” says the driver.
René explains the situation in the video below:
René is concerned about bicycle crowds at Beverwijk bus station – NH Nieuws
When René confronts cyclists about their violation, it is not always appreciated. “I often get a really big mouth, or they say ‘don’t interfere’.”
The driver thinks that a large part of the cyclists do not have to pass the station. From the traverse, cyclists now often opt for the shortest route, which ends at the bus station. “That has to change, of course, if cyclists choose the other side at the traverse, they won’t be on the road much longer and they don’t have to pass here at all.”
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Rick de Vries is a spokesperson at Connexxion and takes his colleague’s warning and call for a solution seriously. “We think that there could be a number of improvements at the bus station, especially with the cycle path that winds quite a bit to the bus station from the traverse. (…) The role is with us to point out to the municipality that something is wrong must change for safety.”
According to René, that can’t be done quickly enough, because an accident is in this way in a small corner: “I would find it such a shame if something only happens to safety when something has already happened.”
bicycle tunnel
The municipality of Beverwijk informs NH Nieuws that it is aware of bicycle and scooter traffic at the bus station. “In the medium term, the Municipality of Beverwijk plans to relocate the level crossing (in collaboration with ProRail and the Province of Noord-Holland).”
The municipality cannot say exactly how long this will take and whether action will be taken earlier. However, they further explain their plans for the future: “There will be a new crossing for pedestrians and (moped) cyclists. In this situation they can no longer go through the bus station, but are sent to the cycle path along the Halve Maan. a bicycle tunnel will be constructed under the Velsertraverse, which will be connected to the new crossing.”