Over 325,000 euros for 11 new cycling projects in Brussels

Eleven new cycle parking and development projects, led respectively by a university, a scouts group, a sports club, a sheltered workshop, schools and associations, in 10 Brussels communes are receiving support from the Fund Bikes in Brussels, managed by the King Baudouin Foundation. This call is ongoing and so applications for new initiatives to improve the cycling infrastructure of the Brussels-Capital Region can be made at any time.

Whilst cycle use has been increasing in Brussels for several years, efforts can still be made to improve the cycling infrastructure and persuade more people to choose the bicycle as their preferred, safe and effective way of getting around, to and in the Brussels-Capital Region. It is within this perspective that the Fund Bikes in Brussels has been providing ongoing support since 2018 to small, medium and large projects undertaken by associations, government bodies and private and public partners that aim to improve the capital’s cycling infrastructure and equipment.

Eleven new projects

Encouraging ‘soft’ mobility means, among other things, providing safe cycle parking solutions. Such initiatives are emerging across the four corners or Brussels, supported by the Fund Bikes in Brussels. The Fund has just selected 11 cycle parking and development projects in 10 Brussels communes, providing support amounting to a total of 326,925 euros. This brings to 64 the number of cycling initiatives supported by the Fund since its creation within the King Baudouin Foundation at the end of 2018, and a total amount of support to almost 4.2 million euros.

Here is a short description of the 11 new projects benefitting from the Fund’s support:
• In Anderlecht, the Coovi S.O. secondary school will install a cycle shelter so that teachers and students can travel to school by cycle more regularly. The Fund Bikes in Brussels will finance the purchase of material, whilst the actual building of the shelter will be part of school lessons.
• On its three campuses, Solbosch (City of Brussels), la Plaine (Ixelles) and Erasme (Anderlecht), the Université Libre de Bruxelles will enlarge its cycle parking facilities by 190 places. The project, which will further strengthen the ULB’s commitment to active mobility, will benefit students, members of staff and visitors to the three campuses.
• In Evere, the Royal Evere White Star Sportcity, a multi-sports club (hockey, tennis, padel tennis and aikido) will make a secure cycle parking space available to its 2,000 visitors. It will also be accessible to guests and spectators.
• In Forest, the Zonneklopper association welcomes numerous associations for various functions such as participatory cycle workshops as well as larger events. A space of 100 m² will be developed to maintain and keep safe the cycles of various groups that participate in workshops, lessons, training and other events.
• Thanks to its ‘vélothèque/fietsbieb’ (cycle hub), the Commune of Ixellesenables families to rent cycles for children at affordable prices. The Fund is participating in fitting out the premises so that the cycles can be properly stored and pleasant working conditions be provided for volunteers.
• In Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, the Zonnelied association will develop the ‘Fietshub’ (cycle hub), where parents can rent cycles for their children and local residents can get their cycles repaired. The project aims to make Molenbeek more cycle-friendly.
• In Saint-Gilles, the Cemome association will install two cycle shelters to protect and store cycles used as part of the ‘PoolCycliste’ project (e.g. teaching and cultural trips by bicycle) for schools in the commune of Saint-Gilles.
• In Schaerbeek, the Citeco sheltered workshop enables people with a disability to train for and have a job. The association will install a secure shelter, protected from the rain, for 10 cycles in an effort to encourage its workers to get around by cycle.
• In Schaerbeek too, the medical firm Jean Jaurès will increase the number of cycle parking places available for its staff and patients during the day. In the evening, the places will be available to people in the neighbourhood.
• In Uccle, the Atheneum Kalevoet will install a secure cycle park to encourage students and members of staff to cycle to school. This initiative is part of the new school mobility plan which is the major part of the cycling awareness and infrastructure project.
• In Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, the Jean Heymans WL042 scout group will develop secure cycle parking to enable some 500 members (scout leaders and children) of its three units to attend meetings by bicycle.

If you would like to know more about any of these projects, please don’t hesitate to contact Thierry Van Noppen (vannoppen.t@kbs-frb.be, 02 549 02 56, 0479-31 85 56). We will be delighted to put you in contact with the relevant organisations.

To find out more about the Fund Bikes in Brussels call for projects and make an application, log onto www.kbs-frb.be. The Fund is pleased to accept donations from private citizens, businesses and other organisations who would like to contribute to its mission of supporting cycling development and equipment so as to encourage cycling mobility in the Brussels-Capital Region.