As more slower road users prefer the carriageway to the bicycle path, the streetscape could change.
You come across them more and more, and not just for your own groceries or deliveries of packages. The large heavy electric cargo bikes. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management is working on an authorization framework for e-cargo bicycles and other light electric vehicles (LEV framework) to ensure that they are technically safe and can be used safely. It also discusses the location on the road. In current regulations, these types of vehicles, with a construction speed of 25 km/h, drive on the bicycle path.
to care
When preparing the LEV framework, road authorities indicated that they were concerned about the safety risks of heavy e-cargo bicycles for other users on separate cycle paths due to the size and mass difference. Therefore, for the purpose of the LEV framework, it was investigated what the most suitable traffic rules are for the location on the road of heavy e-cargo bicycles with a maximum construction speed of 25 km/h: the cycle path, the roadway or, depending on the traffic situation, a tailor-made solution.
The conclusions show that the most important preconditions for traffic rules are that they are understandable for all road users and enforceable. These preconditions come under pressure when heavy e-cargo bicycles are no longer allowed on the bicycle path, because the number of heavy e-cargo bicycles is still small and they are visually difficult to distinguish from light e-cargo bicycles.
security
Safe use is an important reason for the LEV framework. Overall, the heavy e-cargo bike on the cycle path is the most favorable for road safety. At speeds of up to approx. 30 km/h, vehicles with large differences in mass can be safely mixed. With speeds of up to 25 km/h for the e-cargo bike, the speed difference with motorized traffic on a 50 km/h roadway is too great.
On 30 km/h roads with separate cycle path where the limit is properly observed, the heavy e-cargo bike could safely ride on the roadway. As indicated in the first conclusion, this would not be understandable and enforceable. Moreover, the acreage is small and it appears that the limit is frequently exceeded on these roads.
With a non-mandatory cycle path, the current regulations allow voluntary use of the roadway for all cycle path users. On 30 km/h roads where the limit is well respected, the conversion from compulsory to non-mandatory bicycle paths can be further tested, for example in the centers of large cities to relieve busy bicycle paths.
CROW
A cargo bike needs more space than a regular bicycle, because of the number of wheels and the vehicle width. At the end of 2021 CROW published the 30 km/h Assessment Framework with which road authorities can determine which 50 km/h roads can be converted to 30 km/h roads. This helps to fulfill the agreement in the Coalition Agreement 2021-2025 that, together with municipalities, it will be examined where the maximum speed can be meaningfully reduced to 30 km/h.
According to CROW, the best solution is a 30 km/h access road (ETW30) or a safe 50 km/h access road (GOW50). If that doesn't work, a 30 km/h distributor road (GOW30) is a good solution. Design features will be developed for this new road category in 2022.
