Brussels to reduce number of commuting cars by 15%
The initiative is part of a series of awareness-raising campaigns the Brussels government wants to launch with its social partners to improve air quality in the city and create an ideal environment for Brussels to become a “shared destination”.
As stated by Minister-President Rudi Vervoort, these objectives ought to be pursued by promoting all shared mobility alternatives (car-sharing, working from home, public transport, transit parking, etc.).
All hands on deck for shared mobility
Within the launch of the campaign in February 2019 and the possibility of renewal during Mobility Week in September 2019, all institutional and socio-economic partners have been conjoinedly involved in encouraging drivers to travel in a shared manner to and from Brussels.
As said by the Regional Minister of Mobility Pascal Smet, reducing single occupancy vehicle use means reducing traffic-jams, and thus increasing the quality of life in the city. Not acting in a common effort would mean to lead Brussels and its citizens to a future of bad air quality, poor traffic efficiency and decreased road safety.
For these reasons, it is very important that the Federal government gets concretely involved, as suggested by the Environment Minister Céline Fremault. The federal government can impact mobility in the Belgian capital by increasing the number of trains serving Brussels, collaborating with local public transport operator STIB, and by speeding up works towards the new regional light rail network RER.
Source: The Brussels Times.
