Amsterdam to test 20 km/h speed limit on 300-meter bike path in Zuid to reduce accidents

Amsterdam will test a 20-kilometer-per-hour speed limit on a section of the bike path along Amstelveenseweg in Zuid. The limit will cover the distance of around 300 meters between Eerste Schinkelstraat and Zeilstraat, in the Schinkelbuurt. Crashes often happen on the pass as it is busy and narrow, AT5 reports.

The trial, run by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, will last from October 19 through November 13. The city aims to see whether the measures will reduce the number of accidents, making the cyclist feel safer, the municipality said in a press release.

Signs and road markings will display the limit. Cyclists who breach it will not be fined. Instead, a counter will be tracking the number of rule-breakers.

“Amsreram’s bike paths are getting busier, and cyclists feel less comfortable and less safe,” said Elise Moeskops, the city’s alderman for mobility. “E-bikes often go much faster than bikes without pedal assist. That creates bigger speed differences between cyclists and unsafe situations, especially on narrow paths. With this trial, we are testing whether a speed limit helps make the path safer and more pleasant for everyone.”

“It is not a groundbreaking reach,” the alderman added. "Hopefully it will be Amsterdam’s most relayed bike path for two weeks. Too often people still ride too fast on a cramped path. It can, and should, be calmer, with more attention for one another.”