The Antwerp alderman of Mobility Koen Kennis (N-VA) does not resign. The opposition party Groen had asked after the tragic traffic accident in Antwerp in which two young sisters were killed. ‘It is too early to say what caused the accident,’ says Kennis.
Knowledge had been received from the opposition, it had emerged that the intersection on Lange Leemstraat, where the fatal traffic accident took place, had been made conflict-free, but that that decision had been reversed. As a result, both the girls who were hit on Tuesday and the truck gave the green light at the same time.
Knowledge clarifies that the city of Antwerp is doing everything it can to make intersections conflict-free, so that motorized transport, pedestrians and cyclists do not come into conflict. The traffic lights on Lange Leemstraat were also adapted, but unexpectedly long traffic jams arose. ‘So we have to switch back’, says Kennis. ‘But we continue to look for the best solution. Everywhere in Antwerp.’
Antwerp has 127 intersections managed by the city itself. They are all being addressed to make them safer. This has already happened in 71 places. ‘Where possible, we make intersections conflict-free. Only, that’s not possible everywhere. Because the traffic situation is not always allowed. We are not supposed to mark traffic at intersections. That in turn leads to other dangers’, it sounds.
Files
A conflict-free settlement became a conflict-free settlement in April for the intersection where the tragic accident happened on Tuesday. Unexpected date to traffic jams, to priority traffic axes such as the Belgiëlei and to the SintVincentius hospital. That is why action was taken.
‘On April 29, the scheme was adjusted. With the use of green times for motorized traffic, so that the congestion problem is solved. But with efficiencies for pedestrians, who massively ignored the driving traffic light. The only solution was actually how it used to be,’ said the traffic expert of the Knowledge cabinet.
For us, there is only one goal: to make traffic safer for everyone.
The tragic accident on Tuesday could not be prevented from flashing a warning light if a conflict occurs. Knowledge says it’s too early to pull. “Let’s wait for the experts’ investigation. For us there is only one goal: to make traffic safer for everyone.’