LEIDEN – The maximum speed on the Lammenschansweg will remain 50 kilometres per hour. Traffic alderman Ashley North left no doubt about that on Thursday evening. But at the locations where residents cross the road daily, he explicitly reopened parts of the design.
After months of protest and a petition calling for a 30 km/h limit along the entire stretch, the city executive stuck to its core choice: four so-called priority squares must slow motorists down to around 30 km/h at intersections, while the rest of the road remains a distributor road.
Albert Brink (Christian Union) called this “an artificial and even half-hearted solution.” Stefan Haas (SP) argued that the Lammenschansweg is not a traffic corridor but “simply a residential area.” North did not budge. According to him, experts from traffic consultancy Goudappel have indicated that the road cannot realistically be redesigned as a 30 km/h distributor road. “For us, the goal is more important than the means,” he said, referring to enforcing lower speeds at intersections. The aim is to reduce speed where traffic flows intersect: “You won’t be able to drive faster than 30 km per hour there.”
Yet the debate shifted. Not about the overall system choice, but about everyday use. In the draft design, all zebra crossings disappear. Crossing would be safe enough, the argument goes, because pedestrians would only have to cross one lane at a time. Alyssa Voorwald (VVD) pushed for “a design with zebra crossings so pedestrians can cross safely.” North promised to examine the effects of retaining zebra crossings after all.
Bike crossings are also being reconsidered. The current design includes one-way cycle paths. Several parties fear that cyclists will end up riding against traffic. The alderman pledged to investigate whether two-way crossings are possible and whether cyclists could be given priority there – though he immediately tempered expectations.
The position of bus stops and traffic flow near Tomatenstraat will also be reviewed. Climate-adaptive measures and wildlife protection will be included in the next phase as well. North said he has already spoken with the local “toad patrol” about developing a broader citywide amphibian plan.
The framework of the design therefore remains intact. No general 30 km/h zone, no radical redistribution of space. But where residents most directly experience the plan – at zebra crossings, bike crossings and bus stops – the design is no longer set in stone. On March 5, the city council will decide whether to release the preparatory funding. The direction is clear. Many details are still open.
