A 17-year-old cyclist was killed on Thursday evening when he crossed the Kasteel-Traverse in Helmond. He was hit by a car. According to pedestrians, cyclists and local residents, the traffic lights are not properly adjusted and they are not given enough time to cross. Less than a week ago, there was also a collision between a crossing cyclist and a car on the same road.
Ralph Joor (33) from Helmond tells how his wife (27) cycled on the Kasteel-Traverse in the direction of the station on Saturday afternoon. It went wrong while crossing. “She is from Peru and is still a beginner cyclist. She crossed the road. When the traffic light turned red, she was not yet on the other side. She was hit by a car.”
The cyclist fell to the asphalt and sustained bruises and arm and leg injuries. “I raced there like crazy. Fortunately, her injuries were not too bad. She was shocked and no longer dared to cycle there,” says Ralph.
‘Five seconds green’
According to him, the problem is in the traffic light. “It’s only green for cyclists for five seconds and then the light for car traffic turns green again. Some cars drive up and don’t stop at all.” Just before the crossing point on the Kasteel-Traverse, the maximum speed drops from 70 to 50 km per hour.
According to Ralph, the municipality must ensure that the traffic lights for cars are red for longer, so that cyclists and pedestrians can cross safely. There should also be cameras. “That would save a lot of trouble.”
‘Short on green’
On the crossing where the fatal accident happened on Thursday, traffic rushes by a day later. A cyclist is waiting in front of the red traffic light: “I regularly see cars and cyclists driving through a red light here. It only turns green for a short time. Also for pedestrians. That is quite dangerous, because they don’t have time to get to the other side.”
According to a cyclist, the municipality says that all traffic lights are well coordinated. “It is a busy road and the traffic light is only green for a short time. I regularly see cyclists and pedestrians taking risks here to cross.”
Number of seconds
Traffic expert Ruud Hornman explains how the time for a crossing for cyclists and pedestrians is calculated. “That depends on the length of the crossing. We count four meters per second for a cyclist and one meter per second for a pedestrian. You get a certain time depending on the length.”
According to the traffic expert, that time is never too short. “Or you have to be extremely slow. A pedestrian with a walking frame may not be able to reach that one meter per second. Then you are on the edge of the safety limits.”
Community response
The municipality of Helmond will investigate whether the crossing time over the Kasteel-Traverse for pedestrians and cyclists can be extended. According to her, the traffic lights have been determined according to road safety standards. The operation of the traffic lights will be investigated.
The municipality knows that residents are experiencing nuisance from traffic on the Traverse. The municipality itself is also unhappy with the road right through the center. The Traverse is difficult to cross. There is a lot of traffic on the road, which increases the risk of accidents.
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