One in every four Flemings cycled to work in 2024, which is twice as many as 20 years ago. The figure comes from a large-scale study looking at the mobility habits of almost 1.8 million employees in Belgium. Figures for Brussels too are astounding!
A new survey by the Belgian mobility ministry is revealing.
No fewer than 24 per cent of Flemish employees cycle to work. Compared to 2005, when the same body conducted the survey for the first time, this figure has almost doubled. The car remains the most popular means of transport (63.2 per cent).
Mobility ministry spokesperson Thomas De Spiegelaere sees four reasons for the popularity of cycling. ‘Cycling infrastructure in Flanders has improved significantly over the past 20 years, that's where it starts,’ he says.
‘At the same time, it has become more tax-efficient for employees to cycle to work. Think of the bicycle leasing system, which has gained popularity in recent years.’
Local mobility policies in cities also play a role. ‘Cycling is popular in cities anyway,’ says De Spiegelaere. ‘In recent years, more and more cities have introduced low-speed zones. Cycling is becoming more widely embraced, as evidenced by bylaws and local policy.’
This trend is most noticeable in Brussels. The proportion of employees who cycle to work is almost eight times higher than in 2005. Compared to 2017, the number of people cycling to work has more than doubled.
Another factor explaining this success is the rise of electric bicycles and speed pedelecs. ‘The ease with which employees can cover long distances has increased significantly,’ De Spiegelaere notes. ‘The distance to work has always been one of the biggest motivations for employees to take the car.’
Car remains king
Although Flemings are increasingly cycling to work, the car remains the most important means of transport for commuting. Today, 6 out of 10 Flemish people drive to work. That share has fallen by barely 8 per cent in 20 years. However, for years there has been a strong focus on government initiatives and awareness campaigns aimed at reducing car use.
‘Taking the car appears to be a persistent habit among Flemish people that is only changing very slowly,’ admits De Spiegelaere. ‘It shouldn’t really surprise us, because the distances people have to travel to work remain the same. Urban planning in Flanders is also evolving slowly.'
And as is the case with bicycles, there are also many tax advantages for car users. ‘Company cars have become ever more popular. They are also more often electric. That is an important nuance in terms of sustainability: we continue to drive a lot, but these cars are gradually becoming more environmentally friendly.’
Public transport in the doldrums
How are trains, trams and buses faring? ‘The figures are stagnating,’ says De Spiegelaere. ‘People seem to prefer cycling to public transport for getting to work.’
This is immediately apparent from the figures. The proportion of Flemish employees who take the metro, tram or bus to work has fallen by 23.3 per cent over the past 20 years. Trains alone have become slightly more popular.
Nevertheless, only 7.6 per cent of employees use public transport. In 2005, that figure was virtually the same: 8 per cent.
What's the explanation?
Apart from the rise of the bike, the reason why public transport remains so unpopular is explained by passenger organisation TreinTramBus. ‘There has been a structural lack of investment in Flanders,’ says chairman Peter Meukens.
‘Take De Lijn, for example: there have been annual cutbacks since 2010. The number of bus stops has fallen and the service is not seen in a positive light. So it's only natural that employees are turning away.’
Working Flemings are taking the train more often than before, which Meukens considers a positive development. ‘Trains are becoming more punctual and the NMBS railway company has increased its services in recent years, while De Lijn has actually reduced theirs.’