Principles of measures 1.5 meters

There are many ideas and initiatives in the city to provide more space for pedestrians and cyclists. That is why the municipality of Utrecht has drawn up basic principles to be able to make quick decisions about temporary measures. With the starting points, organisations, companies, residents and the municipality can look for solutions together.

Health and safety come first. The national guidelines are an important basis for this. Extra attention is paid to accessibility. People with disabilities must be able to move safely. And measures must be understandable and clear.

Everyone should be able to safely go to the (super)market or shop, work, school or just go outside to get some fresh air. We make room for these movements. The basic principle is that we mainly do this for short-distance trips. Such as shopping in the immediate vicinity. Moving is more than staying. We therefore opt for wider sidewalks rather than a place to sit. We may adjust this if the national guidelines change.

When space is limited (such as in the downtown and other shopping areas), pedestrians come first. Then come the cyclists, public transport and cars, in that order. Pedestrians and cyclists are given priority because they take up the least space and are vulnerable. Cars are given less priority because they require a relatively large amount of space. More cars in the city also make crossing roads more difficult. And that leads to bicycle traffic jams and pedestrians waiting at traffic lights. We want to avoid that as much as possible. People with vital professions must be able to use the car. If space is limited, it is also possible to combine modes of transport, such as bicycle and public transport. It is important that public transport remains fast and reliable. Sometimes it is necessary to close bicycle paths, so that there is more space for pedestrians. Cyclists can then ride on the road or bus lane. The maximum speed is then 30 km/h.

We want to spread the crowds as much as possible. We do this, for example, by encouraging visitors to avoid busy times and crowded places. And by enticing travelers to travel outside peak hours as much as possible. We trust that everyone takes their responsibility to avoid the crowds. The regional enforcement strategy is also based on this individual responsibility. Only if there really is no other option, action is taken. Companies are themselves responsible for reducing the crowds in buildings and on private property. For example, by allowing employees to work from home where possible. Economic activities and sports are important for the city. That is why we give space here where possible. We design the public space as well as possible with as few obstacles or obstacles as possible for pedestrians and cyclists. The space that remains can be used for recreation and economic activities. We support initiatives by parties that comply with the principles. For example, by marking on the ground in front of shops where people can wait. We also provide bicycle parking in the city. This can (temporarily) be at the expense of car parking. Disabled people and people with vital professions will still be able to park their car. We organize bicycle parking in such a way that pedestrians have sufficient space on the sidewalks. As a result, the bicycle sometimes has to be parked at some distance from the destination

We are preparing quick, temporary and relatively simple measures. We therefore do not want to completely redesign streets or squares. Where possible, we will make a temporary redistribution. We do not place more markings, signs and other communications than necessary. We mainly do what is strictly necessary. The public space must, of course, remain safe for traffic, stay safe, comprehensible and well-arranged. So that people understand what behavior is expected of them. Some of the measures that we had planned in the future, we are carrying out earlier. We apply the measures in the following order: People's own responsibility and common sense (we ask to keep distance and avoid crowds) Spread in space, areas and time (we do this together with entrepreneurs and parties in the city) Better use of the existing public space (removal of bicycles and other objects that stand in the way of nuisance, establishing one-way traffic for pedestrians and cyclists).First use adjacent space (e.g. parking spaces), then redesign if necessaryMixing different types of traffic, if safe to do so canClose to car traffic, possibly bicycle traffic or even pedestrians, when safety is compromised.

Only by monitoring the situation can we see whether the measures are working. And we can adjust them if needed. These principles may change, for example if new national guidelines are introduced. Or if we see that we can do better. The principles and measures are temporary. How long, we don't know yet.