ARCHIPEL&WILLEMSPARK/traffic

21 June 2011 – According to the report from The Hague Audit Office Koningstunnel, Vaillantlaan and Laan Copes van Cattenburch are the dirtiest spots in The Hague.

The Audit Office is critical of the municipal council who is always submitting new data, a result of which measures that should be implemented are constantly being deferred.

What is the state of play with regards to dealing with air pollution in the G4-steden?

On Tuesday 21 June the Audit Offices of Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht presented the results if their joint investigation into the policy on pollution in the “G4-steden” at a press conference. Apparently the measures taken by the Nationaal Samenwerkingsprogramma Luchtkwaliteit have had little effect on reducing air pollution. There is now the risk that the European Union will be in a position to halt a raft of building projects. The Audit Offices have come to the conclusion that the state authorities must take control in order to meet the norms set out for 2015, which is bad news for the municipal councils in the four cities.

City pledges two-way cycle path for Javastraat

The Alderman for Traffic, Peter Smit, has agreed to address the cycling access problem to Javastraat.

Following discussions with The Hague’s Groenlinks party, Traffic Alderman Smit has agreed to install a two-way bike path along the last section of Javastraat before it connects to Konninginegracht.

According to Groenlinks spokesman, Arjen Kapteijns, to gain access to the city centre cyclists coming from the direction of Benoordenhout have to travel via Laan Copes van Cattenburgh or Dr. Kuyperstraat.

"We want the Municipality to turn one of the car lanes into a two-way cycle path", said Kapteijns during an interview with expat.tv.

This will involve some adjustments where Javastraat joins Laan van Meerdevoort in order to keep pollution levels down and the traffic flowing smoothly.

Apparently Alderman Smit has promised that the problem will be solved by the end of this year.

To see a full report click on www.thexpat.tv

T H E H A G U E M O B I L I T Y B I L L

The A&W's response to the proposed bill

Opinion HNM and accompanying MER Plan (A&W comments)

The traffic issue has been a hot topic in our city since the 1970s, with the one solution (the Utrechtse baan, the Prins Bernhardviaduct, the Koningstunnel alongside Central Station, the extension to the Landscheidingsweg and most recently the Hubertustunnel, quickly followed by the introduction of the Traffic Circulation Plan – VCP) proving more successful than the other. Some were even so unfortunate, there were attempts to reverse them (partial demolition of the Bernhardviaduct). The opposition to the VCP was huge as it was clearly just shoving problems from the one district to the other.

The problems will only get worse because the amount of motor traffic continues to grow: council plans are aimed at increasing the number of inhabitants, car ownership per household will grow and according to council estimates traffic will increase by 30 to 35 % over the next ten years.

The burning question now is whether the present road system can cope with the increase in the amount of traffic without compromising the quality of life in residential neighbourhoods. In our opinion it cannot.

At the beginning of November 2010 the Municipal Executive set out the Haagse Nota Mobiliteit (The Hague Mobility Bill) and released it for public discussion. Citizens’ comments (the so-called zienswijzen) had to be submitted by 24 December 2010. The most was made of this opportunity, resulting in the submission of negative to extremely critical opinions.

Various residents associations have consulted with one another and submitted a collective opinion. In their view the council is heading in the wrong direction. If you were to draw a line on a map of The Hague from north to south through the Hofvijver, you would see that 2/3 of The Hague’s population lives to the left of the line and 1/3 to the right. The major feeder routes (Utrechtse baan, N14 and A44) are located to the right and the Rotterdamse baan (costing hundreds of millions) planned by the council would also be on this side of the line. This means that the lion’s share of the traffic will be funnelled through the centre of The Hague and adjacent residential districts. There is another way!

The location of our city on the coast makes a ring road system (to be found in most other large cities) impossible. The only other solution is the excavation of a tunnel from Madurodam to Kijkduin. A solution that would cost less money than the council’s estimates for the execution of its own plans!

The collective opinion (in Dutch) and another with more tailored comments specific to our neighbourhood can be found below.

16 January 2011

Wybe Taekema, chairman

Collective opinion (in Dutch)

Opinion HNM and accompanying MER Plan (A&W comments)

P R O P O S A L N E W P A R K I N G R E G U L A T I O N S

It’s Official:

Longer paid parking in City Centre but not in the Archipelbuurt!

3 January 2011 - There will now be a uniform parking policy for the city centre. As of 1 March the entire Centrum district will have paid parking from Monday to Saturday from 9.00 to 24.00 hrs. and Sunday from 13.00 to 24.00 hrs.

In the Archipelbuurt the hours for paid parking will remain the same: Monday to Friday from 9.00 to 17.00 hrs.

For those cynics among us: people power does still sometimes work! Those 500 objections, many from expats, helped make a difference.

More ...

Parking regulations main topic during
Archipel & Willemspark Community Council Meeting

Counter proposal: no extension to paid parking in A&W
21 September 2010 - There was a packed audience in the Klokhuis Community Centre to hear Debby Bornebroek, UPC (Uniform Parking Regulations) project manager of the City Management Service, explain the proposed new parking regulations. To everyone’s relief the flood of negative responses from the Archipelbuurt has led to an adjustment to the proposed plans: no extension to paid parking hours, except for in Willemspark where only free parking on Sunday mornings will be preserved, if the proposal goes through.

There will however be some drastic changes in March 2011 to resident and visitor parking permits; also in Archipel & Willemspark. The audience was not unanimous about all the proposals. Some were against the significantly higher costs for permits for a second car; others thought it was a great idea. Some thought the maximum duration for parking too short; others could live with it. In the main however everyone found the times as they are now acceptable.
We have the 500 objections sent in against the proposal and the actions by the Board of the A&W Residents Association to thank for that the halt to the proposed encroachment on our quality of life in our neighbourhood.
The project manager of the City Management Service presented the arguments for the new regulations and answered questions from the floor in a most professional way. We can be extremely proud as a community that the Municipal Council has adopted such a flexible attitude in meeting our demands.

The counter proposals to be elaborated are as follows:
Paid parking
- Archipel: Monday - Friday from 9.00 till 17.00 (as it is now)
- Willemspark: Monday - Saturday from 9.00 till 24.00; Sunday from 13.00 till 24.00
Residents parking permit
The permit for the first permit becomes slightly cheaper: €36 per permit year
Second and further permits will become significantly more expensive: €420 per permit year.
Electronic visitor parking permit
Electronic passes will be introduced. The duration of the parking time has to be registered via a free 0900 number or via the Internet. This means an end to having to reset the disc every two hours and will limit fraud. The maximum number of parking hours per visitor permit in Archipel will be188 per year and in Willemspark 277 per year. The number of hours cannot be extended.
The price of the visitor parking permit remains at €18 per year. Extra passes can be requested at a cost of €3.50 per pass; useful for several visitors in separate cars. The permit is for all passes and therefore the total number of parking hours remains the same (188 and 227).

Special regulations
There are special regulations for visitors from abroad, commercial vehicles visiting addresses in the neighbourhood, small businesses run from home and visiting care providers and such like. For more details, make enquiries at the Council’s parking department.

Decision-making process
Final decisions will be taken at the end of 2010 and residents will receive comprehensive information from the Council about the implementation in March 2011.

Community Council focuses on new parking proposal
Tuesday 21 September 2010

The next Community Council session has been brought forward to Tuesday 21 September. The large meeting room on the groundfloor in the Klokhuis Community Centre will open at 19.30 and the discussion on the new parking proposal affecting our district too, starts at 20.00. Mrs Debby Bornebroek, UPC project manager of the City Management Service, will be present to answer questions and to explain the draft proposal Uniform Parking Regulations – central zone (UPC).
All residents are cordially invited to attend and contribute to the discussion. Our input could play a part in the final decision process

Reaction of the A&W board and working party Traffic
Our neighbourhood has been shaken by the leaflet circulated from the Council City Management Department in June concerning a proposal for new parking regulations. Namely, paid parking from Monday to Sunday between 9 in the morning till 12 at night in the so-called central zone, which includes our district of Archipel&Willemspark!

The majority of the reactions received seriously object to the council’s plans, which are considered to be an attack on the quality of life in the neighbourhood. Most social contact (family visits, birthday celebrations and meals with friends) take place in the evenings and at the weekends. There seem to be few supporters so far.

Your can sign a petition in the Klokhuis or send in your own reaction – BEFORE 13 SEPTEMBER – by e-mail: parkeren@denhaag.nl.

In the meantime Wybe Taekema, board chairman of the A&W Residents Association, and Willem van Gijn, chairman of WG Traffic, have sent a response to the head of the city’s parking department in writing, based on the comments they have received. Translation
Register your own reaction directly
We are pleased to report that expats in our neighbourhood have also registered their thoughts with the Minicipal Council's parking department on the new parking proposal. Example.

Register your reaction with the Council - DEADLINE 13 SEPTEMBER

Proposal details and brochure (in Dutch)

NWH PLATFORM

Community organizations (including A&W) respond to coalition agreement

1 June 2010 – Thirteen community organizations representing districts bordering or in the vicinity of the NWH (North-West Arterial Route) – more than 100,000 inhabitants – sent a letter in response to the council’s recent coalition agreement.

The letter responds enthusiastically to the section on “sharing responsibility”. The community organizations will gladly contribute in the expectation that the council will not presume a priori that their’s is the only vision, and will seriously consider alternatives submitted by those most affected.

Although the organizations endorse a great many of the policy intentions, the paragraph “assessibility” does give cause for concern. Residents want to work together with the council on the basis of a clear vision about the relationship between quality of life and assessibility.

Representatives of our Working Party Through Traffic will be attending the council meeting to discuss the coalition agreement on Thursday 3 June.

North-West
Arterial Route
THERE'S
SOMETHING TO VOTE FOR!
Development of
The Hague coastline
Elections to choose the new council
take place on 3 March
Plans for a cruise terminal have been scrapped, but there
is more. How will the politicians and
councillors deal
with our concerns:
the future of the NWH?
the future of The Hague coastline
(former Norfolk Line depot/Scheveningen harbour/Kijkduin)

Come along to the Politiek Café on
TUESDAY 16 FEBRUARY
at Tennispark Berg & Dal, Daal en Bergselaan 13
doors open at 19.30
All the political parties will present their position and be available for questions.
Residents Associations The Hague Coastline

Two types of duplex tunnels to form one continuous underpass

Autumn 2009 - The NWH Platform recently presented a plan for putting the whole of the Noord Westelijke Hoofdroute (main north-west arterial route) underground. This involves for the most part an excavated tunnel with two layers: a so-called duplex tunnel. There will be four or five entrances and exits, which must be constructed using the “cut and cover” method. But three-quarters of the 4.4 kilometre tunnel will be excavated at the estimated cost of around 400 million euros; the same amount as calculated for the council’s shortsighted “short tunnels” solution. The duplex tunnel on the other hand offers an integrated solution, which takes into account security, the health of the inhabitants and the general quality of life, as well as providing a long-term solution to the traffic problem.
For more information on the NWH see article below.

Political café meetup to discuss planned tunnel for the NWH
R E P O R T
16 September 2009
Haagse tunnel vision
On the evening of Monday 14 September 2009 a political café organized by the Haagse Stadspartij took place at the Christelijk College de Populier in Populierstraat. After a short official introduction about the proposed mobility bill, it was the turn of our fellow residents Guus Nieuwenhuys and Vincent Vroom to give a presentation, on behalf of the NWH platform, of their plan to put the Northwestelijke Hoofdroute (NWH = main north-west arterial route) underground.
According to the mobility bill, motor traffic is expected to increase considerably over the next 10 years. Car ownership will grow by 15 to 20% (20,000 to 30,000 cars!), and not only will new jobs increase by 30,000 but also the number of inhabitants. Needless to say this will mean heavier traffic, not only on the CentrumRing running through our district but also on the NWH (from the Hubertustunnel to Kijkduin).
The NWH Platform has been pressuring the city council for an integral plan to reduce traffic for 10 years now, but to no avail unfortunately. The only idea from the council involves a couple of short “cut-and-cover” tunnels that would cost around 400 million euros. Much emphasis is put on the tunnel under Johan de Wittlaan in particular, but only because the security of the international organizations located along this section will very likely mean a lot of financial support from the state. It won’t help the residents.
The Platform has very different ideas: the whole NWH route underground in a primarily excavated tunnel with two levels, a so-called duplex tunnel, with five exits that will have to be constructed using the cut-and cover method. Because three-quarters of the 4.4 kilometre tunnel will be excavated, the costs will be much lower. Various experts consulted estimate the costs at around 400 million euros; the same amount as calculated for the council’s short-sighted “short tunnels” solution. The duplex tunnel on the other hand is an integrated solution, which takes into account security, the health of the inhabitants and the general quality of life, as well as providing a long-term solution to the traffic problem.

Representatives from seven of the parties on the city council: the Executive parties PvdA and VVD and the opposition parties CDA, D’66, SP and the Haagse Stadspartij were present to hear Guus Nieuwenhuys and Vincent Vroom’s competent and enthusiastic explanation. When asked for their reaction, they commented that the plan had already been presented to various parties during separate meetings. Ries Smits (CDA), Hiek van Driel (SP) and Joris Wijsmuller (Stadspartij) were all positive. Rachid Guernaoui (D’66) was in part positive, saying that D66 was a supporter of the international ring road and, where it was financially and environmentally viable, it should be underground. Jos de Jong (PvdA) and Ibo Gülsen (VVD) did not commit themselves one way or the other: yes, there were some interesting things in the plan, but it was extremely expensive and choices had to be made, etc. Heleen Weening (party chair of Groen Links, also an executive party) arrived late and stated she was against a (duplex) tunnel.
After the interval there was a lively debate among the audience of 50 to 60 people, which went on till after 22.30. The audience made it clear that it was not interested in council development programmes if they did do not include integrated plans for addressing the traffic problem. In the coming months a campaign will be started encouraging everyone in the 14 districts allied with the Platform to vote in the next council election in March 2010 for those parties who show support for the tunnel plan. The inhabitants of these districts constitute almost 25% of the population of The Hague.
Because the implementation of the Platform's tunnel plan could very well help reduce the volume of traffic passing through our neighbourhood, it will be presented again at the Archipel & Willemspark Community Council meeting on 19 November.
Wybe Taekema
A & W chairman

Tunnel vision or Tunnelvision?

14 September 2009 – A politiek café at the Christelijk College de Populier in Populierstraat will discuss the proposed plan to divert the Northwestelijke Hoofdroute (NWH = main north-west arterial route) underground.
There will be an informal debate between politicians from various poltical parties, together with locals, about the desirabilty of putting the NWH underground (this would involve Telderstracé, Segbroeklaan and Sportlaan). This tunnel could in theory significantly reduce the amount of traffic in our district (Javastraat, Laan Copes and Patijnlaan.

Two of our local residents, Guus Nieuwenhuys and Vincent Vroom, will give a presentation on behalf of the NWH platform about various aspects of the planned tunnelling project. Your attendance as a show of support would mean a lot to them.

Date: Monday 14 September
Time:19.30
Venue: Christelijk College de Populier - 109 Populierstraat
Tunnelvision poster

Wybe Taekema, A&W chairman

VCP PLAN

New City Traffic Route now in force

The much-heralded (and disputed) Traffic Circulation Plan (VCP) intended to remove through traffic from the centre of The Hague, came into effect on Friday 20 November 2009 with considerable chaos.

Problems were caused by bollards that failed to retract into the ground to permit the passage of buses and emergency services, and the fact that the rerouting took motorists by surprise. After the second day, however, the Municipality announced that the situation was much improved.

Source: www.TheHagueOnline.com

INFORMATION FROM WWW.DENHAAG.COM
City Centre to become Car Free
Verkeerscirculatieplan / VCP

Published: 05 November 2009
Modified: 24 November 2009
The Traffic Circulation Plan (Verkeescirculatieplan / VCP) will partially restrict vehicular traffic from driving in the city centre and make the area more attractive and liveable. The plan will take effect on 20 November 2009 at 11.30 hrs.
The plan discourages vehicular traffic from driving through The Hague city centre, creating more space for cyclists and pedestrians and improving the quality of the air. The plan should also create more opportunities to develop the city centre in terms of historic design and allure, economic developments, recreation and free time.
The Spui, Grote Markt, Lutherse Burgwal and Paviljoensgracht will all be redesigned in 2010.
Centrumring
The municipality will take measures to promote a better flow of vehicular traffic on the Centrumring, which will lead through traffic around the city centre. This will initially relieve a number of traffic bottlenecks. Cars which don't need to be in the city centre will no longer be able to drive there.
In addition the Traffic Circulation Plan will ensure that the increasing amount of traffic to The Hague is better dispersed throughout the city. As a result the city centre will remain accessible to cars which need to be there. Digital parking signs will indicate the fastest route to the parking garages in the centre.
Sectors
The VCP divides the city centre into three sectors. Motorists will be able to drive from one sector to the other using the Centrumring. There will be a connection between the sectors for cyclists, pedestrians and public transport. The municipality will work together with interested parties on developing all the measures.
Measures

Legible and clear road signs in and to the city
Better directions to parking areas
Better timing for traffic lights at intersections
New division between driving lanes and median strips
Project segments
The plan will be carried out in segments.
Contact
If you would like additional information or if you have any questions about the Traffic Circulation Plan, please fill in the VCP response form or download a map of the VCP.

A&W’s view on council's VCP resolutions
Archipel & Willemspark residents will continue their fight against the council’s traffic plans, which are damaging the quality of life in the neighbourhood and the health of the residents. The council’s resolutions on the VCP traffic plans were open to public inspection until 6 May. The decisions taken will result in the shift of heavy traffic to the Centrumring, which also runs through our neighbourhood. If we presently want to lodge an appeal before the court, we have to have first submitted a so-called “zienswijze” to the council.
In the opinion document drawn up by the A&W Residents Association lawyer, Rupert van Heijningen, it is argued that the measures envisaged will lead to a transfer of heavy-duty traffic and more cars to the Centrumring. This will mean that the air quality and quality of life will deteriorate even further. Readings on Laan Copes and Javastraat already exceed acceptable norms for air pollution. This will get worse, while in fact it is the council’s duty to see that this improves.
A blanket policy to reduce commuter traffic to and from The Hague is virtually non-existent and ineffective. The environmental report that underlies the traffic resolutions is unsound and uses a false method of representing the figures. The survey into pollution levels is not based on readings (which are available) but on estimates.
What happens next?
The Mayor and aldermen will examine A&W’s opinion document and undoubtedly (if past experience is anything to go by) set it aside and go ahead with their resolutions. We will then lodge our appeal.
Wybe Taekema, chairman A&W Residents Association
19 May 2009

At last concrete support for the cyclist?

7 September 2011 – Antoinette van der Maas, our very own local contact person for the regional Dutch Cyclists Union, is very pleased to hear, as will all cyclists in A&W, that certain representatives in the city council made it clear during discussions on the Haagse Nota Mobiliteit (HNM - The Hague Mobility Bill) that the city must show more commitment to stimulating the use of bikes. A number of concrete proposals will be submitted to back up the wishes of the cyclist, which hopefully will form part of the council’s traffic policy until 2020 and its preview for 2030. More discussions will follow on 14 and 22 September.

Cycle City 2013

D66 wants The Hague to do all it can to win ‘Fietsstad 2013’: a biennial prize awarded by the Fietsersbond (Cyclists Union) for the city most dedicated to the cyclist. This will send a positive message to citizens that the council is determined to do everything it can to become more pro-cyclist and to use the €10 million allocated for cyclist facilities in the coalition agreement wisely.

More urgency required

This is particularly the case with regard to setting a deadline for actually implementing the ambitious plans for a network of high-grade cycle paths set out in the city’s long-term plan Meerjarenplan Fiets 2007-2010 for cyclists and again in the new plans soon to be launched for 2012-2015, and for ample provision of parking for bikes.

Cycling is not only good for the cyclist but for the city too. The latest update on The Hague Mobility Bill aspires to increasing bike use by 50% by 2030 and an independent committee investigating air and noise pollution has reiterated how important this is.

Hague region cycle route website now in English

19 September 2010 - Marcel Houtzager, Regional Portfolio Holder 'Green Policy, Recreation and Tourism' launched the English language version of the Fietsroute Netwerk Haaglanden website www.fietseninhaaglanden.nl (started earlier this year) during the 2010 “Feel at Home Fair”, which took place in The Hague City Hall.

The site is full of information about the cycle route network and tourist attractions in Haaglanden.

Fietsroute Netwerk Haaglanden

For ‘concerned’ cyclists in our district

With immediate effect Antoinette van der Maas will be our very own local contact person on behalf of the regional Eerste Nederlandse Fietsersbond (ENFB - Cyclists Union).
Every district in The Hague now has a local representative and together they will have far more effect than just a single voice.

There is plenty about cars and ‘traffic’ in general in the Handboek Openbare Ruimte (council’s guide to public space) but it needs a chapter on bikes. The concerns of the cyclist - that environmentally friendly and oh so vulnerable road-user - do not feature at all: hence this campaign.

There is room for improvement on the cycling front throughout the city. But the Union cannot be everywhere at once when the complaints or suggestions come in about cycling safety and enjoyment. This is why people like Antoinette have joined forces with us to provide a contact point in your immediate neighbourhood whenever there is something you would like to report. She will do her best to raise the matter with the council authorities either directly or via the ENFB.
So e-mail apen@bart.nl when you have something to report.

Near miss on the bike?
Sound the alarm!

Every neighbourhood knows the difficulties faced by cyclists. Ours too. Can’t the traffic lights remain green a bit longer for the cyclist? Why don’t the police take more action against motorists who park on the cycle lane? Can’t the visibility at this junction be improved for cyclists? Why isn’t there more room to accommodate cyclists turning off at junctions?
Do you regularly encounter this sort of problem when cycling? Then report it at www.fietsindeknel.nl! The Hague regional Fietsersbond (Cyclists Union) will list the complaints and then raise them – often booking positive results – with the municipal council.