Politicians and residents respond carefully to the measures taken on Friday to improve safety on the N395. “They really have to do even more to get the speed out of drivers,” says Tjerk Langman, provincial member of the PVV. Several fatal accidents happened on the N-road. In March, 13-year-old Noud died due to a collision with a car.
The province cut out 24 trees along the road between Middelbeers and Diessen on Friday. Langman has been committed to safety on that road for a long time. “It has indeed come to mind,” he responds carefully relieved. “I knew they were planning to improve safety on that road, but they did not let me and the other States members know in advance.”
“Serious accidents happen, sometimes with a fatal outcome.”
Last week the PVV member asked the province, but they have not yet been answered. Now the province has started with the first measures, but according to Langman that is not nearly enough.
“They have to do even more to get the speed out of drivers. It is a big problem, because cars drive way too fast on that straight piece.” Flash cabinets and thresholds are a good idea for him. “Make a safe crossing on the road. It was not two weeks ago the first time it went wrong. There are sometimes high speed cars at one of the oaks.”
Yet the politician is not quite comfortable yet. “If the calf is drowned, the well is damped. Action should have been taken here much earlier. Anyway, now something happens.”
Gon Boers from the local party Hi has also been committed for a long time. “Because of our political pressure, an investigation has been done. But now the report has been completed earlier. As a party, we are not in principle for the hood of trees,” says Boers, “but safety is paramount.”
Report took a long time
No report was needed for residents to see that trees had to be removed. Yet the report took a long time. Earlier, according to the province, there was ‘not enough support for residents for cutting down’. During earlier work on the road in 2022, trees were removed. Just not on the piece at the Futureweg, “says the province.
“The estimate was that this place was less unsafe.” But due to the accidents of recent times, it was nevertheless decided to remove the trees on the scene of the accident in the Futureweg.
“We are happy that at least something happens,” says Lisette van der Sande. She lives near the infamous intersection. “We hope that people will now see that this road is very dangerous.”
Not enough
Yet she is not convinced that cutting the trees will make a difference. “I honestly think that more needs to be done to get the speed out of this way.” Van der Sande is certainly: only a rigorous measure such as a roundabout will help.
Local resident Jan van Nuenen also agrees. “Perhaps high speed thresholds are even better, harvesting the trees is not enough,” he thinks. “Several accidents have already happened, but it is not always due to the way. Motorists have to pay more attention here.”
“It still hurts every day.”
The death of 13-year-old Noud in March still thumps hard in the neighborhood. “It just hurts every day, it is really terrible,” says Van der Sande. Especially the fact that the intersection was notorious in advance hurts. “If I hear a siren now, I think it’s hit again.” According to the local resident things go too often. “Every time there is one too much.”
