Brussels Circulation Plan Sees Cycling Up 36%
Cycling is up 36% in central Brussels a year after a circulation plan was introduced. There is 25% less motor traffic.
The circulation plan was introduced to the Vijfhoek, or Pentagon, area at the heart of Brussels in August 2022. The aims were:
- to reduce through traffic
- to increase liveability and safety and
- to incentivise cycling and the use of public transport
It is part of a wider 10-year mobility strategy for the region, called Good Move.
Traffic counts were undertaken in October 2021, before the interventions, then in the early days of the scheme (November 2022) and after almost a year (June 2023).
The number of people cycling per day increased as follows:
- 21,000 in October 2021
- 25,000 in November 2022 and
- 29,000 in June 2023
The Councillor responsible for transport in Brussels is Bart Dhont.
He said that the goal had been more pleasant and attractive, and safer, streets, and the result is a success. There is now more space for people, business and hospitality.
‘The aim of the new circulation plan was to reduce through traffic in the residential and commercial areas of the city centre, and it succeeded.
Good Move is a lever towards a city with cleaner air and safer streets for all Brussels residents, and especially for the most vulnerable among us.’
Bart dhont
There are some streets where traffic has increased slightly, which is the natural result of a circulation plan. Councillor Dhont says adjustments will be made where problems are apparent.
Overall, traffic is down, and no streets have become race tracks. In most streets with schools on them, traffic has decreased significantly.
There has been much less opposition to the Good Move measures in Vijfhoek than to similar schemes in other parts of the region such as Anderlecht.