Amsterdam is trying a new tack to break up congestion and accidents in its miles and miles of bike lanes by inviting faster riders to take to the streets instead.
The experiment, which started last week on two streets, will be evaluated in July. On those streets, anyone who wants to move faster than 20km per hour can join the cars, which have a 30kmh speed limit.
Traffic Alderman Melanie van der Horst told reporters that “I hear of more and more Amsterdammers, young and old, who no longer dare to cycle in the city. I don’t want that to happen. We have previously successfully moved scooter riders to the road, making the cycle path quieter. But due to the rapid rise of various electric bicycles, it is now necessary again to make room on the cycle path for people who ride slower.”
Scooters were moved to the road in 2019. A recent evaluation says that the move improved road safety and flow on the bicycle paths and reduced jams. The number of accidents involving the scooters themselves decreased significantly.
I’m not sure what ‘inviting’ means in this context. Presumably, e-bikes always had/have the option of using the road and not the cycle lanes? The problem is not unique to Amsterdam, of course. Fast e-bikes and regular bicycles simply do not mix – especially since for many e-bike users it is the thrill of going fast without much effort which is the main attraction.