It’s a good question and one that is also concentrating minds on the local council of the City of Brussels. In recent years, partly thanks to the pandemic, cycling has become tremendously popular in the Belgian and Flemish capital. The new pedestrian precincts in the downtown are a hit too, but more and more pedestrians and especially the more elderly among us say they do not always feel safe as a result of reckless behaviour by a minority of cyclists.
According to the Brussels mobility agency Brussels Mobility cycling is at an all-time high. Bike counters in the region recorded the ten millionth cycling journey only recently. It’s an increase in numbers that is leading to problems in parts of the city, notably in the pedestrian precincts in the downtown.
The office of Bart Dhondt, the Flemish green city cabinet member charged with mobility says several options are being considered. Brussels could follow Leuven (Flemish Brabant) and Ghent (East Flanders) and ban cyclists in certain areas at busy times.
Bart Dhondt says the pedestrian precinct near the old stock exchange building is a tremendous success: “At certain times there’s quite a crush! It’s great the pedestrian precinct is so popular, but when it gets really busy this can result in conflicts between pedestrians and cyclists. Reckless cyclists and people on fast e-bikes regularly make children and seniors feel unsafe in the downtown”.
“We want the pedestrian precinct to remain safe and accessible fof all. We’re looking at what action we can take to ensure it stays this way!”
Brussels is not the first Flemish town to consider stricter rules. Leuven has banned the bike from several pedestrian streets at its commercial heart. It’s a similar story in Ghent. Between the hours of 11AM and 6PM only pedestrians are allowed in the busiest part of the pedestrian area in the centre of town. Further afield, in Lille (France) restrictions have also been introduced.
In Brussels the current rules stipulate that cyclists in pedestrian precincts must moderate their speed to take account of pedestrians. “We’ve noticed there is a lack of compliance. It’s hard to enforce too! We can’t deploy police officers everywhere. There are other priorities” notes the city cabinet member. “We’re looking for a safer alternative in the pedestrian precinct for pedestrians and cyclists!”
Brussels is considering following Ghent’s example and banning cyclists from certain parts of the pedestrian precinct at busy times. The city authorities are currently examining which areas will qualify.
“Brussels’ pedestrian precinct, stretching from Central Station via the stock exchange to Sint-Katelijne, is large. Deciding where to ban the bike needs careful consideration. We also have to agree the hours. We see few problems in the mornings. It’s later in the day that there are conflicts between pedestrians and cyclists”.
Alternative routes for cyclists are being examined. “The Lakensestraat is to become a cycle street. When work on the street is ready, we’ll be able to evaluate whether it’s a comfortable and safe alternative and see if any additional measures need to be taken” concludes Dhondt.
