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Dutch government advisors call for 25kph cycle path speed limitAmsterdam Bicycles (Jorge Royan, Wikimedia Commons)

Dutch government advisors call for 25kph cycle path speed limit

Rise in usage of electric bikes capable of 40kph prompts appeal for legislation
by Simon_MacMichael
Wed, Jan 14, 2015 13:35
7

Advisors to the Dutch government have recommended introducing a 25 kilometres an hour speed limit on the country’s cycle lanes due to growth in usage of e-bikes, which can travel at up to 40 kilometres an hour.

Fietsberaad says that faster cyclists, including those on recumbents and using e-bikes, should ride on the main carriageway instead, although it admits that enforcing a speed limit would be difficult, reports Dutchnews.nl.

According to the advisory body, “the maximum speed limit should apply to all users of cycle lanes, including racing bikes,” but the country’s main cycle campaign group, Fietserbond, says that if a maximum speed limit is set, it should be 30 kilometres an hour rather than 25 kilometres an hour.

Fietsersbond also maintains that faster e-bikes should be banned from bike paths in built-up areas and because of the speeds they are able to achieve, they should be registered as motor vehicles and carry number plates, with riders of them required to take up third party insurance.

Netherlands
Speed Limit
Fietsberaad
Fietsersbond
Simon MacMichael

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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7 comments

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joolzkite | 9 years ago
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Never been there to experience it, but i won't cycle on the Cycle lanes here for the same reason around town. Can you imagine me and bike hitting some kid who runs out in front having no concept of safety. Leg powered or electric driven makes no odds, doesn't bare thinking about. Prefer to take the road rather than Cycle lanes.

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HKCambridge | 9 years ago
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Was one thing that shocked me about cycle paths in The Netherlands. Absolutely fantastic to be separated from cars - only to have to share with, effectively, motorbikes! Very disconcerting.

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skull-collector... | 9 years ago
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E-bikes are (electric)motorbikes and there is no place for them on cycle paths.

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oozaveared replied to skull-collector-not-really | 9 years ago
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skull-collector-not-really wrote:

E-bikes are (electric)motorbikes and there is no place for them on cycle paths.

I'd say they were the same sort of mass and velocity with the same sort of footprint as a normal bike. What's more likely to hurt you, a big fella say 90kg turning a gear on a good road bike +10kg mass of 100Kg doing say (22mph /35 kph) 10 m/s

Or a slight woman say 50Kg riding an e bike weighing 35Kg at the same speed?

And if there's a speed limit of 25kph I can't see the problem as to why e-bikes should not use a bike path.

Do we or do we not want to make cycling more popular and get more facilities for cyclists. If we do then we should not be snooty about what a "real" bike is. and we should get on board initiatives that create more access for us. Hint if more people took up cycling e-bikes rather than driving cars then the political and economic lobby for better provision for all bikes is strengthened.

Remember prohibition in the USA. It only happened because the brewers (of beer) thought they were the good guys and the distillers (of spirits) were baddies. The prohibition lobby hated them both and because the brewers refused to work with distillers they got them both.

If we get more facilities because E-bikes are increasingly popular, then good.

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KiwiMike replied to oozaveared | 9 years ago
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oozaveared wrote:
skull-collector-not-really wrote:

E-bikes are (electric)motorbikes and there is no place for them on cycle paths.

I'd say they were the same sort of mass and velocity with the same sort of footprint as a normal bike. What's more likely to hurt you, a big fella say 90kg turning a gear on a good road bike +10kg mass of 100Kg doing say (22mph /35 kph) 10 m/s

Or a slight woman say 50Kg riding an e bike weighing 35Kg at the same speed?

And if there's a speed limit of 25kph I can't see the problem as to why e-bikes should not use a bike path.

Do we or do we not want to make cycling more popular and get more facilities for cyclists. If we do then we should not be snooty about what a "real" bike is. and we should get on board initiatives that create more access for us. Hint if more people took up cycling e-bikes rather than driving cars then the political and economic lobby for better provision for all bikes is strengthened.

Remember prohibition in the USA. It only happened because the brewers (of beer) thought they were the good guys and the distillers (of spirits) were baddies. The prohibition lobby hated them both and because the brewers refused to work with distillers they got them both.

If we get more facilities because E-bikes are increasingly popular, then good.

THIS. Genius.

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Paul_C | 9 years ago
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it would be easier to kick the fast e-bikes and snorfiets off and crack down hard on those who disable the limiters on their standard pedelecs... no reason ordinary pedal cyclists should be inconvenienced because of the actions of the reckless few...

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KiwiMike | 9 years ago
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I would think another major target of this is the 'Snorfiets' or de-limited mopeds. Their riders are the ones causing carnage. I loved riding my friend's Workcycles FR8 with Massive Rack and 50L Aluminium crate on the front around AMS. Scared the wannabe Harley owners right out of the way.

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