It is a perilous undertaking, especially for the elderly from the De Kaap residential care center, to safely cross the busy shopping street Het Haagje in Hoogeveen. The call for a zebra crossing has been heard for years.
In June of this year, a resident of De Kaap overturned with his mobility scooter. “He didn’t have time to cross the road calmly, because the cars were rushing past,” says informal caregiver Mariska Hobma. “When he was finally able to cross, he had to increase his speed and hit the curb.”
It is not the only accident on this busy road. Since the middle of last year there have been at least eight reports of accidents with injuries.
‘Not taken seriously’
In October 2021, Hobma already sent an email to the municipality with the request for a zebra crossing near the residential care center. But almost two years later, nothing has changed. She also had to wait until July this year for a response from the municipality. “I don’t feel taken seriously,” she says.
Eveline de Haan (81) has lived in De Kaap for almost three years and has to cross Het Haagje a few times a week for shopping, with her walker. “I’m always happy when I get to the other side without any problems. There is no mortal who will stop for you. Cars and cyclists just keep driving. And fast too, faster than the permitted 30 km/h. I’ll just cross the street boldly, otherwise you’ll be waiting for St. Jutte’s Mass.”
Have difficulty walking
Most residents of the residential care center at Het Haagje have difficulty walking and have difficulty crossing the road. This applies not only from the De Kaap side, but also at the Beukemastraat. The nearest zebra crossing, near the Viva Fleur flower shop, is too far away for these people. They also have to cross the entrance to Kaaplaantje.
Entrepreneur Henriët Jager of the Notenpakhuys, diagonally opposite the residential care center, speaks of a busy and confusing point. “I know that some residents of De Kaap simply do not dare to cross,” she says. “A zebra crossing makes the situation a lot safer.”
Written questions
Municipal interests in Hoogeveen have now asked written questions about the issue. It bothers the party that the municipality responded so late and summarily to Mariska Hobma’s email messages. According to the party, she was not treated correctly.
“Apart from the fact that no effort was made to seriously discuss her request, the unsafe situation she described is not being further examined,” Gemeentebelangen writes. ‘In short it is said: The council has established this. There is no point in starting the discussion again.’
Meeting
The party refers to an official response that refers to a meeting in February 2020 with residents of Het Haagje and Schutstraat about road safety in the area. According to the municipality, ‘most of those present’ had no problem walking a little further to cross the road via the existing zebra crossing.
The municipality also writes that the importance of a new zebra crossing does not outweigh the interests of entrepreneurs to retain parking spaces. Henriët Jager is surprised about this. “As an entrepreneur, I was not asked. What can you possibly have against road safety? Besides, there are plenty of parking spaces.”
‘Small adjustment’
According to Gemeentebelangen, a zebra crossing can be constructed with a minor adjustment. The party asks, among other things, whether the council is prepared to reassess the situation on site and investigate the possibilities of a safe crossing.