Free Bicycle Light Repairs Mark Launch of National Cycling Visibility Campaign in Utrecht
The national bicycle lighting campaign ‘AAN in het donker’ (Lights On in the Dark) will be launched on 29 October on Leuvenlaan at Utrecht Science Park. Between 5:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., cyclists can have their lights checked and repaired free of charge. André van Schie, Member of the Provincial Executive, will be there to talk to Utrecht residents about the importance of proper bicycle lighting.
At the launch event, enforcement officers from the Municipality of Utrecht will direct passing cyclists whose lights do not meet the requirements to repair teams from organisations including ANWB and BOVAG. These teams will repair the cyclists’ lights on the spot, free of charge, for anyone who wishes to have them fixed. Representatives from the police, the provinces of Utrecht and Gelderland, RAI Association, TeamAlert, Veilig Verkeer Nederland, Utrecht Science Park, Goed op weg and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management will also be present. The focus of the launch event is on raising awareness and repairing faulty lights. No fines will be issued.
One in three young adults has inadequate bicycle lighting
The days are getting shorter again, and with the end of daylight saving time, darkness falls earlier. It is therefore important to make sure your bicycle lights are in good working order. According to the most recent nationwide survey by Goudappel, 31 per cent of cyclists aged 18 to 25 ride with bicycle lights that do not meet the required standards. Among 12- to 18-year-olds, this figure is even higher, at 35 per cent.
André van Schie, Member of the Provincial Executive, says: “Cycling is enjoyable even during the darker months. However, as a cyclist, it is important to be clearly visible to other road users. So check that the front and rear lights on your bike, and on the bikes of those you care about, are working properly, and make sure to use them! It takes very little effort, but it is incredibly important for your safety.”
Utrecht Science Park
Around 20,000 cyclists travel across Utrecht Science Park each weekday. That is why the focus here is on a simple but important message: make sure your bicycle lights work and switch them on when it gets dark. Cyclists are therefore welcome to stop by on 29 October between 5:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Leuvenlaan at Utrecht Science Park for a free check and repair of their bicycle lights.