Serious road accidents have occurred along Kanaal Zuid, on the section outside the built-up area. Following these accidents, the municipal council adopted motions concerning Kanaal Zuid in March and April 2021. The city council asked the mayor and aldermen to investigate proposals to improve road safety on Kanaal Zuid.
In early 2022, the independent consultancy firm Antea carried out a study into the traffic situation on Kanaal Zuid. The study found that a maximum speed limit of 60 km per hour, combined with the necessary road modifications, would ensure the safest traffic conditions. Antea’s study also shows that adjusting the speed limit has implications for the N786 provincial road. Together with the province of Gelderland and the municipality of Brummen, the municipality of Apeldoorn has therefore investigated the various traffic and quality-of-life issues in order to find solutions.
Ahead of the final traffic decision, the municipality of Apeldoorn has introduced a number of measures designed to improve road safety in the short term. For example, a total ban on overtaking has been in force since mid-October 2022, and the police have been carrying out enforcement operations against traffic offences since 2022.
A key point highlighted in the Antea report is the shift of some of the traffic to the N786 (the provincial road through Loenen) which results from the speed reduction on the Kanaalroute. According to the calculations, traffic on the N786 in Loenen will increase by 10%. A traffic decision for Kanaal Zuid cannot therefore be viewed in isolation from the quality of life and traffic management issues on the N786.
At the end of 2021, the province of Gelderland stated that, for financial and spatial reasons, it was unable to implement a permanent solution (a bypass) for Loenen. However, the province has committed to implementing measures to improve the quality of life along the N786 in Loenen. Following this, the municipalities of Apeldoorn and Brummen and the province have agreed to jointly investigate how road safety and the quality of life along the N786 can be improved. The developments outlined above have led to the Policy Document.
In 2025, the Provincial Executive, the Municipal Executive of Apeldoorn and the Brummen Municipal Council adopted the ‘Strategy Document on the Eerbeek-Loenen Road Network – Measures and Priorities’. This document sets out the joint vision of the parties involved regarding road safety and quality of life issues in the Eerbeek-Loenen area. It includes an implementation programme with specific measures.
The key measures proposed in the plan are:
You can read about the measures, explanations and impacts in the Policy Statement.
Further information and the documents mentioned above can be found on the Province of Gelderland project page.
The municipalities of Apeldoorn and Brummen and the provincial authorities are currently working on the final designs for their respective municipal and provincial roads. Depending on the progress of legal procedures, we expect to be able to start work on Kanaal Zuid in 2027. The road along the Apeldoorns Kanaal within Brummen’s territory will then go ahead.
The N786 (A50 – Loenen and within Loenen) and the Hoofdweg are scheduled for 2028–2029. This schedule is subject to procedures that must be completed in relation to nitrogen.
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