Wil Pijnenburg from Oostelbeers lives at a crossing where a traffic light came a few years ago. Before that time there was nothing wrong, but since then it has been hit nine times with accidents. Cyclists are hit by cars. “It is waiting for it to go really wrong,” says Wil. The Oostelbeers Village Council wants the traffic lights to be adjusted differently or that there will be a roundabout with pedestrian crossings.
Wants to hear a bang and then screams and screams: “You look and you see a cyclist on the floor with injury. You then call 112. The ambulance and the police come. It is often serious. It is not really safe here with the traffic lights. ” Wil has been living right on the cycle path for 17 years.
The road was redesigned by the province two years ago. The traffic lights came then. “It sounds illogical, but it seems a lot more unsafe here in the village. They were serious collisions, “says Maarten Smits of the Oostelbeers village council.
To then get on a bike to show why things go wrong. The light jumps on Groen and Maarten drives straight. The cars that turn away also get the green light. It’s going wrong when they are in a hurry. “Motorists still want to get the orange traffic light. They overlook cyclists and then bump into you.”
Previously, according to Maarten, the situation was much clearer. Everyone just had to wait for each other and watch each other. It was clear how the traffic situation worked. ”
“The last three months it hit every month.”
The province hung signs at the traffic lights six months ago. They warn turning traffic to pay attention to cyclists and cars that drive straight ahead. “The accidents have not been taken. The last three months it was hit every month. The new solution from the province has yet to come: a flashing arrow at the traffic light. To warn. I hope that helps. First see then believe. ”
But the Village Council Oostelbeers wants a different solution. “We want either the motorists or the cyclists to have green. Then they don’t meet each other. So not the green light at the same time. With school -going youth it is really a risk now. ” If this solution leads to more traffic jams, then it is just, says the village council. Maarten: “That is the disadvantage of that choice. I prefer that they have to wait a little longer than that someone is driven upside down every month. ”
The province sees that differently and lets it know that at this intersection it is getting more unsafe if cyclists and motorists take turns green. To allow cars to drive sufficiently, the traffic lights for cyclists are on red for too long. “Then the waiting times for cyclists increase and the credibility decreases,” says a spokesperson for the province. “After all, then road users are often waiting, while they can apparently cross safely. As a result, more people (over time) start to drive or cycle through red, with all possible consequences that entails. ”
It is clear to local resident. The traffic lights make it unnecessarily unclear. “It will be unclear with many information points. Motorists try to get a green light and often there is no attention. That’s going wrong. “
Wil is now completely finished with the collisions. “It is always very shock when you see someone lying on the floor who needs help. It will touch you. ” His solution is a more far -reaching measure, he prefers not to see no traffic lights at such a small intersection: “After all, we do not live in Amsterdam.”
The municipality of Oirschot is familiar with the situation in Oostelbeers. A spokesperson said that the province has been reported: “The problem has been raised. The province is responsible for the N395. We are now awaiting the province. “
