The government is not planning to take action to reduce the nuisance caused by mopeds, nor will it make moped users wear helmets, transport minister Melanie Schultz has told MPs.

In December, the four big cities called on the minister to take action, saying research showed 77% of mopeds drive faster than the maximum 25 kph. They also want moped users to wear helmets and to stop them using the cycle paths.

Amsterdam’s mayor Eberhard van der Laan went so far as to say he expects mopeds to be banned from the cycle paths in 2014.

Dangerous

However, Schultz said in a briefing to MPs she considers it too dangerous to move mopeds to the roads because of the speed of other vehicles. Experimenting with helmets would also be impossible legally, she said.

Instead, Schultz said she is working on a short-term plan to improve cyclists’ safety. This will prevent nuisance and problems between mopeds and bikes, she said.

She also pointed out that the fines for people who tinker with their mopeds to make them go faster have been increased and police have been given greater powers to seize mopeds which have been speeded up.

Almost half of the people killed in traffic accidents in 2013 in Amsterdam were driving a moped. In 2012, moped drivers were involved in 689 accidents, most of which took place on cycle lanes, the Parool reported in December.