A new bill from the government prohibits municipalities from slowing down on roads with a certain amount of traffic. The Cyclists' Association is furious.
The Danish Cyclists' Association is furious about a new bill from the government that would prohibit municipalities from lowering the speed limit to 30 km/h. In its response to the consultation, the Danish Cyclists' Association calls the bill a disaster.
– We are very critical of this bill, says Kenneth Øhrberg Krag, director of the Danish Cyclists' Association, in a press release .
– It is completely out of step with the times and goes against the desire to create more bicycle-friendly cities.
The bill, which aims to remove the police's role in traffic management and transfer it to the municipalities, contains a number of restrictions on the municipalities' freedom of action.
– The government wants to limit the ability of municipalities to regulate traffic volume and speed in cities, says Kenneth Øhrberg Krag.
– This will have major consequences for traffic safety and the possibility of creating attractive urban spaces.
The Cyclists' Association points out that the bill will prevent the establishment of 30 km/h zones and limit the possibility of introducing street alignments and traffic bans.
– If this law had been in force earlier, many projects that have improved the urban environment would not have been possible, says Kenneth Øhrberg Krag.
– This includes the closure of Norrebrogade in Copenhagen and Thomas B. Thriges Gade in Odense.
The Danish Cyclists' Association believes that the bill is contrary to the general trend in society, where many municipalities want less car traffic and lower speeds in cities.
"It is worrying that the government is proposing a bill that goes against the desire to create more sustainable and bicycle-friendly cities," says Kenneth Øhrberg Krag.
He adds that many municipalities are also critical of the bill, as it will prevent them from implementing planned projects.
The Danish Cyclists' Association calls on Transport Minister Thomas Danielsen (V) to listen to the consultation responses and amend the bill.
– We hope that the minister will take the criticism to heart and change the bill so that it does not destroy the opportunity to create better cities for everyone, says Kenneth Øhrberg Krag.
Conversely, Thomas Danielsen denies that it is the municipalities that decide such things. He already stated this when the bill was presented.
According to the minister, setting speed limits has always been a state task. He emphasizes that municipalities still have the freedom to change a large part of the road network.