The Borough Council of Venray had chosen a special design for its roundabout at the intersection Oostsingel with Stationsstraat. The cycle paths outside the roundabout are squared and not circular. The roundabout is within a built-up area and cyclists have right-of-way. This design differs from the one recommended by the Netherlands Centre for Research and Contract Standardization in Civil and Traffic Engineering (CROW) advisors; they had advised, for urban areas, a circular cycle path at at least five metres from the roundabout. Because Venray wanted to build more roundabouts with squared cycle paths, a study of safety aspects was recommended. This study was carried out by SWOV Institute for Road Safety Research and VIA traffic advisors in the autumn of 1998. Various observation techniques were used. Right-of-way observations, concentrating on behaviour between cars and cyclists, were carried out at the roundabout mentioned as well as two comparable ones in the towns of Roermond and Naaldwijk. These had been built more or less according to the CROW recommendations. Conflict observations were also carried out at the Venray roundabout, and the results were compared with previous observations at four other roundabouts. Because the roundabout studied is not demonstrably safer, and taking into account the desired uniformity, it is recommended not to use this shape.
Abstract