‘Enforcing 30 km/h limit will be a difficult story’

50 km/h is the standard speed limit in built-up areas, but there are many parties who would like to see that changed. For example, the four major cities have previously indicated that they feel more in favor of a 30-speed limit, the majority of the House voted in favor and they are satisfied with the effects in Brussels – where a maximum of 30 km/h already applies.

In the Netherlands, all roads are classified according to the Sustainable Safety principle into categories with a corresponding standard speed. Within built-up areas, the category with the lowest maximum is now 50 km/h. Where there is a 30 limit, you are driving in a zone. In order to meet the desire for a more widely applicable 30 limit, a new road category is being created: the GOW-30, or a distributor road with a maximum speed of 30 km/h.

Gray roads

That category should make the so-called ‘grey roads’ disappear. These are roads for which it is not clear what their main function is now: gray roads have property connections (or entrances and exits), but they must also facilitate good traffic flow. You will often find bicycle lanes adjacent to the carriageway, but there is a max. of 50 km/h for road traffic. That can lead to dangerous situations. The GOW-30 category should reduce the number of dangerous situations by replacing the gray roads.

However, a 30 limit is not simply applied under current legislation and regulations. This states that a 30-limit is only possible on roads where the so-called residence function is the most important, while the handling of traffic is also one of the main functions for GOW-30s. In addition, the layout of 30 roads must now be such that faster driving is discouraged. However, GOW-30 roads must also provide a good flow of public transport and emergency services, so that obstacles and other speed-limiting measures do not simply offer a solution. For extensive application of a 30 limit – and therefore of the new GOW-30 category – either a great many separate traffic decisions must be taken or the laws and regulations must change.

Enforcement difficult to implement

In addition, the desired enforcement on GOW-30 roads according to the plans is difficult to implement. As a rule, enforcement is only initiated once the road layout has already been adapted to the situation, but due to the conflicting interests of GOW-30 (accommodation and traffic flow), a suitable, speed-reducing layout is difficult to realize.

The Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office CVOM (Central Processing OM) previously ruled that enforcement is only possible if there is a credible speed limit. That will be difficult with the 30 roads that also have to facilitate traffic flow. There must also be road safety and a maximum number of offenders for enforcement, the chief officer stated in 2019. a letter. When more than 20 percent of traffic violates the limit, a limit is considered non-credible. And because the majority is speeding on 30 roads, that is soon the case.

At the same time, enforcement is considered desirable when the new GOW-30 category is introduced in the plans. The previous statements of the public prosecutor are at odds with this. This shows that it is still unclear whether the police can enforce on GOW-30 roads at all, concludes Traffic Engineering.nl. Although the design guidelines for a more broadly applied 30-speed limit in built-up areas are imminent, it could just be a while before the new speed limit actually applies. The legislation must first be amended, then the road layout itself. Whether there is subsequently sufficient basis for enforcement seems unlikely for the time being.