Proposition 51K2766

Proposition de résolution relative à la mise en place d'un marquage routier approprié aux abords des écoles.

General information ¶

Authors

Open Vld Hilde Dierickx, Annemie Turtelboom, Hilde Vautmans

Submission date

Nov. 23, 2006

Official page

Visit

Status

Adopted

Requirement

Simple

Subjects

traffic signs resolution of parliament educational institution road safety

Voting ¶

Voted to adopt

Vooruit Ecolo PS | SP Open Vld MR

Contact form ¶

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Discussion ¶

March 29, 2007 | Plenary session (Chamber of representatives)

Full source

I refer to my written report.

Two speakers were registered in the general discussion: Mrs Vautmans and Mr Van den Bergh. The word is to Mr Van den Bergh.

Mr. Speaker, colleagues, I still find it a little strange that we have to deal with the resolution of Mr. Vautmans, who is here for voting.

The resolution advocates a road marking for zone 30 in school environments. Road planning is, as I know, a competence of road managers. Also the representative of the minister – the minister himself does not come for such matters – called it an aspect for which the last word should lie with the West. The need for better readability of the road is a fixed fact, but that should also be left to the road managers. At least the Flemish Region is also working on this with a number of ongoing experiments that should lead to uniform guidelines. I do not think we should deal with this here.

A second element. In the meantime, we have a number of zones 30. There is the classic zone 30, originating in the 1980s, and in the meantime there is also the zone 30 in the school environments. Within that zone 30 in the school environments there are two other species. On the one hand, it is the permanent or permanent designated zone 30 in the school environment. We are still convinced, and colleague Casaer confirmed that also from another faction, that a fixed zone 30 is best made clear in infrastructural ways. On the other hand, in many school environments, meanwhile, a variable zone 30 was installed in the school environment, designated by variable electronic signs. Applying permanently present paintings in these places seems a little crazy, since zones 30 only apply at the beginning and end of school time. So why should we put here a permanent indication that should prove its usefulness only for a few hours a day?

I would like to go back to the specific text of the resolution. I am citing. In fact, the government is asked to include an article in the royal decree, which reads as follows: “A road marking may be applied on the actual edge of the lane.” There are a number of other provisions between, but there is therefore “may be applied”. Colleague Bellot of the MR supported the proposal, as it could lead to a greater uniformization of zone 30 in school environments. That is a little strange. This reasoning does not seem to me to be correct, since it creates a possibility. The creation of that possibility does not even need to be registered in the traffic regulations, because the road managers already do this today. A lot of efforts are being made to clarify that zone 30 in school environments.

One can paint a painting. In addition, efforts are also being made in cooperation with, for example, the pedestrian movement, which offers octopus palates and similar to municipal governments to clarify a school environment. It seems to me a bit caught in the hair that registering a possibility should lead to a greater uniformity. In any case, this will not be the result of the provision proposed in the resolution.

We see a positive element in the proposed resolution, and that is the fact that the majority admits that there has been a snatch with zone 30 in recent years. Zone 30 was created in the 1980s. There were then very tough conditions associated with the introduction of a zone 30. These conditions are slowly relaxed. In the course of the 1990s, Minister Peeters, in cooperation with the then CVP, adjusted a number of conditions to enable a wider application. It has actually failed since the entry of purple green in 1999.

The zone 30 in school environments has become such a symbolic file that every possible condition for the introduction of such a zone 30 has been removed. Moreover, Minister Anciaux removed in 2004 for all other zones 30 the conditions for the introduction of such a zone on the road. As a result, there are many zones 30 that are not recognizable to the road user. This has been recognized by all the groups in the committee. Now we need to look for new ways to make the zones 30 still recognizable. We agree that a zone 30 must be clearly recognizable, but we do not think that happens with a painting on the edge of the road. This should be done infrastructurally or with variable signs for variable zones at schools.

We will not approve the proposal.

Mr. President, Mr. Van den Bergh, what you just said here, of course, was already put in the committee. You say we are not competent here. This is clearly refuted. We are going to create an adaptation and a possibility in the road code to give that road marking a legal value.

You say that it is the road managers who must perform it afterwards. That is of course correct. Indeed, it is the local governments, when it comes to their roads, who can decide to take advantage of these opportunities.

Colleagues, since September 1, 2005, almost 5,000 school neighborhoods have been defined by a zone 30. Some of them are indeed variable. Some of them are fixed. I must also acknowledge here that since then many municipal governments have made praiseworthy efforts to properly designate the school environments with these signs.

However, the following is determined. We all know a very good situation in our own neighborhood, in our own street. We know where the school is located. Therefore, we will automatically adhere to that speed. The problem arises when we leave home. Mr. Speaker, you have gone many kilometers in our country. You will agree with me that it is not always very clear where those school environments are located.

Colleague Van den Bergh, I can follow you. You say they need to be accompanied by those infrastructure adjustments. Then I think of thresholds or flowers. Colleague Van den Bergh, you know very well that this is not possible everywhere. There are transit routes where it is very difficult. I can give you examples from my neighborhood where those flowers have led to deaths in traffic. So it is up to experts to determine what the appropriate infrastructure adjustments are needed to mark that zone 30. I follow you perfectly.

However, you also know that this is often a costly enterprise. Let’s look at Flanders, there are many municipalities where this is put into a multi-year plan, where it is said that between now and 2010 it will ensure that this happens. That is, between now and 2010 there are a lot of school environments that are only marked with those signs.

I have really tried, I have put everything up again this afternoon, to understand your argument against this resolution. I do not understand them. You say that together with the pedestrian movement, efforts are already being made, men are being drawn on the road. What is that other than a quick, efficient and inexpensive way to make it clear to the driver that he is approaching a zone 30? That line on the road can only support the visibility of the school environment.

I will follow you when you say that the board always has priority. There will be a sign, along with the road marking, as is also the case in the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, almost every speed indication is accompanied by a road marking and a customized sign.

In our proposal for a resolution – and I really hope that the municipal governments of which the VLD is part will do that very soon – the line will support the board. That is, when it is variable, one will understand it best. People are really not stupid. As Open VLD, we assume the knowledge and responsibility of the people. We simply want to pay more attention to the fact that one is approaching a danger zone. I don’t know if you’re going many kilometers, but soon the campaign begins. I suppose you are going to go a lot on the road. This can only support that one approaches a danger zone and that one must hold back. I have tried to understand your arguments, but I must tell you that I do not understand them. What I understand...

I think Mr. Van den Bergh would like to give some explanation if you allow him to interrupt you.

It comes down very briefly that this resolution simply doesn’t make sense to us. The road managers can already make clear indications today. The legal value of that road marking simply does not exist. If the variable board stands out, it also has no legal value. A painting made by the road manager is more than sufficient. This resolution simply has no value.

I think this resolution has absolute value. It will encourage people to apply this. It has a legal value and is registered in our road code. I think you are mistaken in that.

Do you know what is clear? The numbers . Unfortunately, the age group from zero to fourteen years represents 21% of the number of dead and injured pedestrians and 27% of the total number of dead or seriously injured cyclists. Unfortunately, a large number of such accidents occur on the way from home to school or in the school environment. On that I agree with you, increasing visibility in the school environment with this strip along the road will not save all victims. Effectively, efforts must be made to encourage safe routes from the residential home to the school. We support that. Open VLD will also do everything possible to realize that in the municipalities we govern with.

However, I think that this resolution should be judged by its value. I’m not saying it’s the miracle solution. In many cases, infrastructure measures will be needed. Only there are not always immediate budgets for this and it is often a long-term planning. There will be situations that are now indicated only with a sign in which that strip will increase visibility and thus promote safety in our school environments.

I think I have presented almost all of my arguments. CD&V abstained from the committee. They will probably not change their voting behavior today. However, sometimes it is not always possible to predict them in the plenary session.

This is not a personal fact, but it can be said of someone else.

That is correct. This has already happened, Mr. President.

This has already happened in other groups.

And in other groups, of course. Sorry, it was not intended personally.

In any case, I really hope, colleagues – there are only a few people left in the hemisphere – that you will soon persuade your group to approve the draft resolution to increase safety in the school environment. After all, September 1st is coming, and I think that very soon we can paint those lines on the street, close, in our residential neighborhoods, to indicate the school surroundings very visible and increase the safety.

Mr. Speaker, I can still assume that the objectives of Mr. Vautmans are noble. The concern for schoolchildren, I think, will be present with everyone. Only here is the wrong place for that proposal. I think that it should be done across the street, with the regions, with the road managers, and with the municipal governments, in order to set up the school environments as safely as possible. If that can happen in anticipation of clear infrastructure with a painting – which I still question – they can do so temporarily in any case. However, there is no need to adjust the traffic rules. I think it is a completely unnecessary resolution, which may be after Green! and sp.a also VLD should give the possibility to profil themselves regarding school environments. I think it is a bit cheap.

Mr. Van den Bergh, this is not about profiling at all. I think we should talk here about the safety of our school environments. It is true that the implementation – with this I started – lies with the road managers. We are just making an adjustment here. We ask the minister – note, we ask that, because it is a resolution – to adjust the royal decree to make it possible and encourage it.

I really don’t see what’s wrong with that. I only hope that when I soon go on campaign and cross Flanders, I will not accidentally have to pass schools that I have not seen, but that those lines will help me adjust my speed and drive 30 kilometers per hour.