Netherlands to trial speed limits on cycle lanes
The Dutch government will allow local authorities to experiment with imposing recommended and mandatory speed limits on cycle lanes starting from next year.
The measures are part of a new multi-year plan submitted to parliament to cut the number of road accidents in the country famous for its love of bikes.
Municipalities will also be allowed to investigate whether or not electric bikes used to transport goods should be moved onto roads rather than cycle paths.
The Dutch government boasts that the Netherlands is the number-one country in the world for cycling.
'Our population of at least 17 million people shares 22.8 million bicycles,' it says.
Cycling is the second-most popular form of transport, with 36 per cent of Dutch people saying it is their most used method of getting about, compared to 45 per cent who opt for a car.
However, it is estimated the number of accidents involving cyclists will increase significantly by 2040 if current cycling policies stay the same.
Cyclists account for 39 per cent of all traffic fatalities and make up 70 per cent of victims who have been seriously injured in the Netherlands. Two thirds of those seriously injured are over 60 years old.
A budget of £42.4 million has been allocated to improving safety through increased training initiatives and efforts to cut risky behaviour such as using electric bikes 'tuned' to remove their speed limiters or running red lights.
A goal has been set for a quarter of cyclists to voluntarily wear helmets within 10 years, compared to the 4 per cent who did in 2023.
The Dutch News website said that depending on the pilot scheme the moves could be rolled out across the country.
The trial is likely to be closely watched in Britain, where there is growing disquiet over the risk posed to pedestrians by speeding cyclists.
Death by cycling
Cyclists who kill pedestrians are to face life imprisonment under new laws.
The offence of causing death by dangerous cycling will be brought into line with motoring laws following a series of amendments tabled in April.
It closes a legal loophole that meant cyclists who hit and killed or seriously injured pedestrians were charged under a law from 1861, which was intended for riders of horse-drawn carriages.
In May, an 80-year-old woman died in Manchester after being hit by a cyclist taking part in a charity bike ride.
The same month, new data revealed that cyclists were more likely than motorists to hit and injure pedestrians in London's parks.
Nine pedestrians were struck by cyclists in the capital's Royal Parks, which include Hyde Park, Regent's Park and Richmond Park, between January 2024 and April 2025.
In contrast, no pedestrians were struck by cars, accident logs held by the Royal Parks show.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
Project to explore self-driving bus service in Glasgow
The project will test the feasibility of autonomous bus operations on a variety of carefully selected rural, peri-urban and urban routes. The routes are designed to connect major points of interest, including employment hubs, healthcare services, recreation venues and key transport interchanges, such as Glasgow's two main rail termini and Buchanan Bus Station. READ MORE: The study is one of 14 to have received funding and support from the UK Government and industry through the Connected and Automated Mobility (CAM) Pathfinder Feasibility Studies (FS) Competition, delivered by Innovate UK and Zenzic. The team will gather and analyse key data sets, develop a robust safety case and engage a wide range of stakeholders, from local transport providers and businesses to academic and third-sector partners. The project's aim is to 'design a commercially viable autonomous bus service that meets the real needs of the people of Glasgow'. Ash Dowler, Senior Innovation & Net Zero Consultant, DG Cities, said: 'This project is an exciting step towards understanding how autonomous buses can truly serve Glasgow's people and places. GAMMA project to explore self-driving bus service in Glasgow (Image: NQ/Colin Mearns) 'As a consultancy which has helped cities across the UK harness the potential of new technology and data to improve the lives of residents, we are keen to explore how we can work with our partners, including Glasgow City Council, to tackle some of the biggest social and environmental challenges facing those who live, visit and work in the city. It's fantastic to kick off this important work with such a great team.' The Feasibility Studies (FS) Competition is part of the £150million CAM Pathfinder programme, which was announced in the UK Government's Industrial Strategy. The UK Government sees a thriving CAM ecosystem as being key to driving innovation and helping it realise its ambition of creating a £40bn CAM sector and over 6,500 jobs in the industry by 2040. Mark Cracknell, Programme Director at Zenzic, said: 'We are thrilled to announce the GAMMA project, spearheaded by DG Cities, ZF and Admiral Insurance, as one of the fourteen exciting CAM Pathfinder Feasibility Studies taking place across the UK. 'The deployment of Connected and Automated Mobility solutions in our towns and cities holds incredible promise - enhancing accessibility, reducing emissions, and fostering a transport network that is both reliable and inclusive. The GAMMA project will serve as a pivotal example in showcasing those benefits. 'We are looking forward to working with the project consortia as they further develop their business case, demonstrate the commercial readiness of the service, and provide vital insight into the opportunities presented by the deployment of CAM solutions in regions throughout the UK."
Telegraph
8 hours ago
- Telegraph
Max Verstappen: Sacking Christian Horner makes no difference to my Red Bull future
Max Verstappen says Christian Horner's shock dismissal as Red Bull team principal has 'made no difference' to his decision over whether to stay at the team, adding 'only time will tell' if it is the right move on the part of the team's shareholders. Speaking for the first time since Horner was abruptly informed by Red Bull's Austrian overlords that he had been 'released from his operational duties' after 20 trophy-laden years in charge, Verstappen mostly played a straight bat to questions about his former team principal. The 27-year-old's future is understood to have been one of the key factors in Red Bull GmBH's decision to dismiss Horner, with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff openly admitting in Austria last month that he was 'in discussions' with the Dutchman over the possibility of a future drive. It was therefore significant that Verstappen refused to guarantee that he would line up in Red Bull colours next season, albeit he is widely expected to stay on for at least one more year. There is believed to be an option in Verstappen's contract allowing him to leave should he fall out of the top three in the drivers' championship before the summer break. Verstappen, in third, currently leads Russell, in fourth, by 18 points with only this weekend's race in Belgium, and next weekend's race in Hungary, to come before F1's summer shutdown. What did Verstappen say? Verstappen could have been forgiven for feeling a little miffed as he arrived for what was an even larger than usual media scrum in Belgium. No one from Red Bull Austria has yet given a reason for Horner's dismissal, meaning he and team-mate Yuki Tsunoda had to face a barrage of questions before the company's senior management, Red Bull GMbH chief executive Oliver Mintzlaff and motorsport adviser Helmut Marko, had even explained themselves. That said, the Dutch driver is a safe pair of hands and he would have expected every question which was thrown at him. Verstappen said he had been informed by the shareholders of their decision 'half a day' before the news was made public, which he said was 'normal', adding that he had had no input and was neither surprised nor unsurprised. 'At the end of the day, they run the team,' he said. 'And I'm the driver, so whatever they decide, it's fully in their rights to do what they want. I think in this world, things like this can happen.' Verstappen conceded that the team's extraordinary success under Horner, the last 18 months had 'not gone how we would have liked' and the management 'wanted to steer the ship in a different direction'. Verstappen was careful to thank Horner for his years of service – this will be his first ever race without the Englishman present – and said their relationship 'would not change'. But he also said he was looking forward to working with his new team principal Laurent Mekies, saying his engineering background was interesting. 'Of course, I had already quite a few meetings with Laurent,' he said. 'The last two weeks have been quite intense for him to jump in. But yeah, I'm equally excited for the team now moving forward because that's what we have to do. 'I like Laurent. He's a very nice guy, first of all, a very clever guy. He's been in different areas of the F1 paddock as well. And I think that can be helpful.' Asked about his father Jos' strained relationship with Horner, and whether the latter's dismissal removed at least one of the barriers to him staying with the team, Verstappen demurred. 'No, it doesn't really,' he said. 'I don't think it will matter at all for my decision in the future. The only thing that matters is that we work on the car and make it as fast as we can make it.' Verstappen also denied having met up with Wolff on holiday in Sardinia following reports their yachts were parked up next to each other. 'Well I was swimming in the ocean at the time,' he said. 'I don't really care about these things. I went on holiday with my friends, my family. And when other people also are there at the same time, yeah, that can happen. There are more people on the island than just me and Toto and the family. If you go to the same island, that can happen.' Asked whether he had spoken to Horner and whether it had been the right decision to get rid of him, Verstappen said: 'Yeah, I did. It's great to speak to him and time will tell. I cannot say right now, you know, within two weeks of, not even action on the track, that suddenly everything is different or better. But we are trying to be better and we are trying to work on that.' What didn't he say? As is often the way with these press conferences, it was what was left unsaid which was arguably of more interest. Following all the frenzied speculation about his future, this would have been the perfect opportunity for Verstappen to put to bed the rumours and confirm he was staying at Red Bull next season. But he chose not to. 'There is also a possibility I don't wake up tomorrow,' Verstappen replied when asked whether there was a possibility he might leave. 'So then there is no driving at all. Life is unpredictable. But in general, I'm very happy where I'm at. I hope…and that was still the target that we set out when we signed the new deal [which runs until 2028], that I would drive here until the end of my career.' Verstappen also chose not to answer a direct question about his father's difficult relationship with Horner and whether that had been tricky for him for the last 18 months. What is likely to happen? As far as Verstappen's future is concerned, the jungle drums right now very much suggest he will stay for 2026 at least. Although Verstappen refused to rule out a move for next season – and it would get very interesting if he does fall out of the top three this weekend or next– Wolff told Austrian broadcaster ORF this week that tying down his current drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli was the 'absolute priority' for him, playing down any 'big surprises' over the summer break. Russell also sounded very relaxed about his future in his press conference on Thursday. Telegraph Sport has been told Russell may even get a multi-year deal which would be interesting in the context of any future move for Verstappen.
Reuters
10 hours ago
- Reuters
Verstappen says Horner exit will not influence own F1 future
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium, July 24 (Reuters) - Formula One champion Max Verstappen said Christian Horner's sacking as Red Bull boss would make no difference to decisions about his own future and the team still felt like a second family. Horner's dismissal this month ended a 20-year tenure and fuelled speculation about Verstappen, with Mercedes already interested in securing the four-times world champion. "Management decided they wanted to steer the ship in a different direction probably," the Dutch driver, relaxed and smiling, told reporters at the Belgian Grand Prix on Thursday. "Everyone else of course has to anyway agree to that and look forward. And I am looking forward. "I'm equally also excited for the team now moving forward because that's what we have to do. Looking back doesn't make sense. It's not going to make you faster. "At the same time, we do appreciate of course those 20 years and especially from my side, the 10, 11 that I've been part of Red Bull. Those things will always be remembered. "The relationship between myself and Christian, for example, that doesn't change. Of course, he's not here now during a race weekend but it's still like a second family to me." Verstappen has won all his titles at Red Bull, starting in 2021, but his chances of a fifth in a row are receding fast as McLaren dominate. The 27-year-old said Red Bull's owners had every right to run the team as they saw fit. His father and former racer Jos fell out with Horner last year, with Verstappen senior urging the Briton to go. The champion said people were entitled to disagree and he had spoken recently to Horner. "The only thing that matters is that we work on the car and make it as fast as we can make it, really... the last one and a half years have not been what we want to be," he added. Asked if there was still a possibility he might not drive for Red Bull next year, he smiled: "There is also a possibility I don't wake up tomorrow. So then there is no driving at all. "Life is unpredictable. But in general, I'm very happy where I'm at." Verstappen has a contract to 2028, with release clauses, and has said he hoped to see out his career at Red Bull. Asked whether he had been surprised by Horner's exit, he replied: "I think in this world, things like that, they can happen. And when they told me I was like 'OK'. "I don't need to go into detail what they said, but I said 'OK, if you guys think that this is the way forward, I'm the driver. You decide and this is how we're going to do it." Verstappen said first impressions of new boss Laurent Mekies were good. "I like Laurent. He's a very nice guy, first of all, very clever guy," he said. "He's been in different areas of the F1 paddock as well. And I think that can be helpful."
