Local residents fear another tragedy in the street. Lilly Witzenhausen understands that the bus lock is overlooked. Even with her husband, who knows the streets like the back of his hand, things have gone wrong sometimes. “He accidentally drove over it once,” she says.
The neighbor who provided assistance on Saturday disagrees. “People just have to look carefully. There is already a sign seven meters away.” There is indeed a round white sign with a red border a few meters away on both sides, to make it clear to motorists that they are not allowed to drive there. There is a warning sign just before the bus lock.
Remove bus lock?
Unclear situation or not: the three neighbors agree that the municipality should actually remove the bus lock. Because what is the point of a bus lock if there is no bus running? Inquiries with the municipality show that the initial intention was for Olympiadelaan to be part of a bus connection to Buitenveldert. Ultimately, that bus connection did not materialize. “The road was never intended as a through road for regular traffic.”
According to the municipality, removing the obstacle ‘goes against the wishes of the immediate residents, because the road also attracts through car traffic.’ Local residents with whom NH spoke notice that people who are now familiar with the situation find their way around the bus lock. Large cars drive straight over it and small cars drive across the cycle path.
According to the municipality, allowing the road to become a dead end is not possible, because the emergency services also use it. In some cases the arrival time becomes too long.