Truck drivers got an early Christmas present in the Netherlands. In fact, overtaking on a rush-hour lane is now allowed on 19 of 22 rush-hour lanes on Dutch motorways. The ban on overtaking was lifted from 18 December 2015. The road signs indicating the overtaking ban will be removed.
The lifting of the ban was mainly created to encourage column formation formation. So trucks will be allowed to overtake each other on motorways with three or more lanes. Preventing convoys will have positive effects on road safety. It will also have a positive effect on traffic flow. Rijkswaterstaat will monitor whether lifting the ban produces the desired result. In this way, improvements can be anticipated quickly.
Improving traffic flow
The ban on overtaking was introduced in 2003. At the time, the main reason was the same: improving traffic flow. As more roads have been widened to three lanes or more in recent years. In addition, there are currently more trucks on the road than a decade ago. Consequently, the overtaking ban was reviewed and lifted on most stretches as of 18 December.
Safety above all
On 19 of 22 lanes, trucks are allowed to overtake. Only on the A2 at the Vonderen junction and on the A9 near Badhoeverdorp (Raasdorp junction). For road safety, the ban remains in place.
Editorial LogistiekProfs
