Cycle Infrastructure in the Netherlands. First Impressions

I am lucky enough to be representing Southampton Cycling Campaign on a trip to the Netherlands to review Cycle Infrastructure and culture. There are representatives from Southampton City Council, Clean Air Southampton, British Cycling, Sustrans, and the Southampton Cycling Campaign on the trip.

My group travelled to Hook of Holland by overnight Ferry, and the first stage of our journey was by bus and train from the Ferry Port to Delft. (interestingly, the ferry, on arrival in Holland, plugged into the mains, and turned off its generators)

I am going to post blogs on each day of the trip. Initially I will simply state what we saw. I'll finish up with a reflective and analytic post - how can this inform us in Southampton?

First impressions

Hook of Holland is similar to any small dockside city in the UK.  Most of the infrastructure is post war rebuild and access to the ferry terminal was through residential streets and past shopping areas.  However the authorities have managed to squeeze in proper cycle paths on all roads. Parking is **always** off road - at least set back from the cycle lane. 

Good signposting for bikes everywhere, and of course the was a cycle path right to the ferry terminal.

Cycle Lane out of Ferry Terminal

Roundabouts have cycle path crossings 5 - 10 m before roundabout entrance - and traffic gives way to bikes.

This Video from BicycleDutch on Youtube shows such roundabouts in action

At pinch points where there is not room for road and cycle path  (e.g. through a pedestrian island) the cycle path does not disappear but instead cars need to time their entry into the pinch point as they will have to go into cycle lane, and then they must give way to cycles.

Cycle lanes alongside long stretches of motorways were well used by folks wearing their work clothes including suits.

 

The only helmet or high viz I have seen so far was on a uk cyclist leaving the ferry.