The General Cronjéstraat and the Julianapark in Haarlem-Noord must be refurbished as soon as possible. That is what entrepreneurs find in the elongated shopping street. The plans are there, says Kees Paulussen of the shopkeepers’ association: “I have every confidence in that, now full force forward!”
The practice turns out to be more unruly. Many political parties come up with their own plans for the Cronjé, as the shopping street is popularly called. Earlier this month, for example, D66 deposited the plan to banish the car from the street again, as was already the case between 2007 and 2014.
The VVD suggested the plan to construct a playground in the Julianapark and this Thursday the ChristenUnie, D66 and action party also submit motions about the redesign. They are about the parking spaces for cyclists and bicycle safety.
Deadstick for entrepreneurs
Kees Paulussen is clear about the car: “I have been a board member of the shopkeepers’ association for about ten years. At that time the street was still closed for cars. Especially on weekdays it was extinct here. This is a shopping street, not a recreational shopping area. Looking for that, then you don’t go to the city of the city, people come here to do their necessary shopping. “
Paulussen is 66 years old and has been in the retail industry since he was eighteen. “I have seen a lot of developments. If you remove the car, you really do not book extra turnover with it. It would mean the death blow for the entrepreneurs. There are so many independent entrepreneurs and relatively few large chains here. That makes the range versatile, The municipality and the Haarlemmers can be proud of that. “
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In the plans for refurbishing the street, the car remains welcome, except during the weekend. Cars are only allowed to drive from south to north. Two -way traffic remains for cyclists. Gerard Duppen says he is a committed local resident.
‘Cycling cyclists correctly’
“The car must stay, otherwise this street will be dead soon. But they have to keep the cyclists against car traffic. Make a large bicycle parking here in Julianapark. That is much safer. If you have all those cargo bikes, fatbikes and scooters See: I find it dangerous. “
Duppen conjures up a plan for the Cronjé from 2011. “That was fine, get started with it. Why reinvent the wheel again. Look, here the route runs over the Schoterweg for cyclists from the north. But yes: people are stubborn.”
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The action party and D66 call on the municipality to reserve fallback options for cyclists who enter car traffic. They now have to regularly via the footpath to avoid the trucks and cars.
Kees Paulussen: “In all those years that I am an entrepreneur in this street, few accidents have happened to cyclists and cars. But we see that it is often difficult for cyclists, so we agree with the scope of that motion . “
Staples or not?
The ChristenUnie, on the other hand, believes that the parking spaces for cyclists must be equipped with bicycle racks that are called staples. Then or blow or bicycle are less likely to fall and it ensures a neat appearance. Not doing, says the shopkeeper: “I am afraid that many long -term parkingers will be stuck on the racks. That will also be a mess. People get their bikes out of an open compartment faster. But we are open to good ideas.” The disadvantage of the racks is that many modern bicycles do not fit well there, because the tires are too thick.
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Both the local resident and the shopkeeper have the CronjéSeeing over the years and not always for the better. Gerard Duppen: “I came here as a kid of five. Then you could really buy everything you needed here. But that has changed. The high rents have made many stores disappear and many more homes have been added. That is a shame. “
Kees Paulussen: “A lot has changed in the twelve years that I am an entrepreneur here. The street went back. First we saw a lot of hairdressers, then delivery restaurants and massage salons. But in recent years things have been going in the right direction. We Other audiences are also coming from Amsterdam, because it is still a bit less vacant here than in the center. “
‘Full power forward’
The entrepreneur hopes that the makeover of the street can start quickly, without wild plans from local politics. “The municipality still has to look for a contractor. But if all goes well, the first shovel can go into the ground in September. Responsible alderman Robbert Berkhout is also very involved in the street. Hand rolling up and full force ahead!”