Now that the Hambrug bridge is closed until the beginning of April, it is busy on Delft’s Sint Sebastiaansbrug bridge at Zuidwal. Some cyclists cycle against the traffic from TU Delft. This can cause dangerous situations, says the municipality.
A cyclist speeds down the bridge in the wrong direction. (Photo: Kim Bakker)
The one-way cycle lane on the Sint Sebastiaansbrug bridge is too narrow for cyclists cycling in both directions, says the municipality’s spokesperson. At the start of the bridge on the city centre side, cyclists need to cycle up and around a corner. Wrong-way cyclists coming from the opposite direction whizz down the bridge to then come to a crossing without traffic lights on their side. Cyclist Roosmarijn complains to her friend at the traffic lights. “I don’t get it. Just cycle around!”
Cyclist Axel speeds down the bridge in the wrong direction. He knew he was cycling on the wrong side, he admits. “But it’s not really that dangerous. Here at the end, it is a little awkward if there are people cycling uphill. If there are people cycling in the wrong direction and they want to overtake, it’s too narrow.”

How many students actually cycle the wrong way? Delta ran a survey on Instagram. Half the respondents said that they had cycled against traffic on the Sint Sebastiaansbrug. If they followed the traffic rules, they would have to pass through two extra traffic lights between the campus and the city centre. In the Instagram poll, student Chris remarked that it takes ‘100 years’ for the lights to turn green.
Not because of a lack of willingness
There are two traffic signs between the campus and the entrance to the bridge that point to the diversion for cyclists. At the traffic lights at IDE, there is a yellow diversion board asking cyclists to follow the yellow arrows to the city centre. After that, just before the next traffic lights, there is a less visible white board. The detour does not follow the shortest route but leads to the centre via the Abtswoudsebrug, not the Sint Sebastiaansbrug.
When asked, the Fietsbond (the Dutch Cyclists’ Union) says that people cycling against traffic is often not a case of unwillingness to follow the rules, but uncertainty about the right route. After receiving reports about the situation on the bridge, the Fietsbond has proposed to the municipality that it places more signs. The municipality spokesperson said that the municipality is planning to place extra diversion boards. It is also thinking about greater enforcement. The plan is that the Hambrug bridge reopens on Monday 7 April.
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