Pedestrian zone in downtown Kerkrade to be restored: bicycles will no longer be allowed

The municipality of Kerkrade is going to restore the pedestrian zone in the city center. This means that bicycles will no longer be allowed within the pedestrian zone. The ban applies all day, including outside of store hours. Mopeds and motorized scooters are also included in this ban.

Currently, cycling is permitted in parts of the pedestrian zone outside of store hours. However, the downtown area is not only a busy place during shopping hours. Residents, visitors, and patrons of restaurants and bars also make full use of the downtown area at other times.

A safe and pleasant environment for pedestrians is a top priority. By redesignating the pedestrian zone as a fully-fledged pedestrian area, the municipality aims to provide greater clarity for all users and prevent potentially unsafe situations.

The pedestrian zone will then extend to Niersprinkstraat, Sibiliuspassage, Verdipassage, Theaterpassage Markt, Einderstraat, Marktstraat, and part of Hoofdstraat. 

New Traffic Regulation

To make the change possible, the City Council will issue a new traffic regulation. The previous traffic regulations from 2024 and 2025 will thereby be repealed.

After the traffic regulation is published, interested parties have six weeks to file an objection.

With this measure, the municipality aims to help create a safe, accessible, and pleasant downtown for everyone.