Following the death of a cyclist who fell at the Col du VAM cycling track in Drenthe, the province considering new measures to make the bike routes safer.
Translation by Traci White
RTV Drenthe reports that two weeks ago, a cyclist fell on the track, which opened in late 2018. The athlete later succumbed to his injuries, and accident witnesses say that the large stones along the edge of the path caused the fall.
Femmy van Issum, the chairperson of the Ronde van Drenthe cycling event, says that the organization and the wider cycling community are mourning his death, and is calling for additional safety measures at the track. Van Issum told RTV Drenthe that another cyclist was injured at the same area during the Ronde van Drenthe in March, and other cyclists have pointed out potential safety issues.
Now, representatives for the province of Drenthe are considering taking action to make the route safer. Petra Gelderloos, a management advisor for the province, told RTV Drenthe that the province has asked the contractor to re-evaluate how safe the stones are, but no concrete alternatives have been put forward as yet.
The stones are intended to help ensure adequate drainage: the track is built on top of a former garbage dump, which is covered by a layer of film, preventing rain water from draining.
The Col du VAM is owned by waste disposal company Attero, but maintenance of the cycling and walking paths is up to the province. Further discussions about changes to the track will be held next week.
