Action against closing roads to motorcycles

The reason for going to the highest administrative law judge is a ruling by the administrative law judge in Alkmaar. There, MAG had filed a case against the Hollands Noorderkwartier Water Board to undo the weekend closure of the Zuiderdijk on the west side of the IJsselmeer. The administrative law judge ruled otherwise. The dyke road in question remains off-limits to motorcycles on weekends from April through October.

Weekend closure of Zuiderdijk

“The judge’s decision appears to have been guided by an earlier ruling by the Council of State regarding the weekend closure of part of the Lekdijk near Lopik,” MAG said. “Arguments presented by MAG in the case surrounding the Zuiderdijk running along the west coast of the IJsselmeer have been set aside.”

‘Motorcyclists not heard’

MAG argued, among other things, that all interested parties – including motorcyclists – should have been heard. “Despite previous commitments and repeated insistence, MAG as the representative of those interests was not involved in the process until far too late. There was never any evidence of recorded complaints; the alderman in charge wore a
double cap and the survey following the pilot closure was highly suggestive.”

Road closures for motorcyclists

Either way, it is clear to MAG that many road authorities can now quite easily implement road closures for motorcyclists. The fear is that the same will happen more often. So MAG is knocking on the Council of State’s door. “In our opinion, the government is failing in the ‘maintaining the road and ensuring its usability’ enshrined in the 1994 Road Traffic Act, and in guaranteeing the freedom of traffic as much as possible,” said policy officer and MAG spokesman
Vera de Bruijn.

Support requested to keep levees open

“It will be on or under,” she indicates. “We can use the support of motorcycling Holland now more than ever. If you want to help us keep the levees open, join us!” For more information: www.motorrijdersactiegroep.nl