News item | 09-03-2023 | 10:00 am
In 2022, Minister Harbers of Infrastructure and Water Management has allocated €75 million to 249 municipalities, 12 provinces and 3 water boards to improve road safety.
Until 2030, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management has made €500 million available through the Road Safety Investment Impulse for improving road safety. Where €165 million was already distributed in the first round of the Road Safety Investment Impulse in 2020, €75 million has now been distributed in the second round. The applicants also make a financial contribution themselves.
In 2020, 207 applications were submitted in the first round for, among other things, the construction of road narrowing, thresholds and separate cycle paths, and the widening of cycle paths. During the second application round, 264 municipalities, provinces and water boards received a government grant. This is 57 applications more than in the first round. In the first and second rounds together, 84% of the total number of road authorities have already invested extra in road safety.
Minister Harbers: “It is important to use these resources to improve traffic situations as much as possible. Almost everyone knows a cycle path that is just too close to the roadway or an intersection that would rather be a roundabout. These investments will include the construction of 180 school zones, 418 speed bumps, 28 pedestrian crossings and 45 roundabouts, which will significantly improve road safety for road users. Collaboration is crucial here. It is great to see that so many municipalities and other local governments have already submitted an application!”
Enlarge image
The map shows that municipalities throughout the country have used the available budget. The applicants have until December 2027 to implement the plans.
The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management will shape the third application round on the basis of the experiences and results from the first and second application rounds. Together with its partners, the ministry will continue to work on increasing the number of government authorities that make use of the scheme, so that together we can further improve road safety in the Netherlands.