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130km limit extended to 60% of motorways in 2012

The new 130km/h speed limit is to be extended to more than half of Dutch motorways next autumn.

Infrastructure minister Melanie Schultz van Haegen said the raised limit would be the norm on most main roads, except where road safety or environmental protection was an issue.

The limit will apply from September 1 on 900km of motorway 24 hours a day and on another 500km outside peak hours.

Most roads with the upper limit are in rural parts of the country, although it will also apply on the A10-west section of Amsterdam’s ring road.

Higher limits were one of the measures included in the governing agreement that was drawn up by the cabinet, but not all members of Parliament are convinced. Liberal (VVD) politician Charlie Aptroot has claimed that the 130km/h limit could lead to 25 per cent more deaths on the roads.

On four of the five urban routes where the maximum speed is currently 80km/h limits the limit will go up to 100km/h.

There has also been concern that the signs indicating the end of a 130km/h zone could confuse some drivers, as the white board with a black diagonal stripe usually indicates the end of a lower speed limit rather than a higher one.

In neighbouring Germany the sign is used to inform drivers of a stretch where no speed limit applies. However, the corps of national police services (KLPD) said there had been no cases so far of “flying Germans”.

“They know what the limit is here. It’s displayed at every border crossing,” said a spokesman.

Source: 130 km borden zorgen voor discussies

Photo by Chriszwolle