The Minister of Mobility and Public Works of the Brussels Region, Pascal Smet, on Thursday kicked off European Mobility Week, which is being held this year in Belgium’s capital from 16 to 22 September. One of the week’s highlights is Car-Free Sunday, on the 17th of September. Smet launched the 17th edition of Mobility Week from the forecourt of the St. Guidon subway station in Anderlecht, where subway users were treated to free coffee, a massage or an initiation to electric vehicles at stands set up by Mobilmix, a campaign by Brussels Mobility to raise awareness on sustainable mobility, such as walking, riding, use of public transport and car-pooling.
“The 200th anniversary of the invention of the bicycle will also be commemorated this year; the first urban cycle fair, Bike Brussels, will be held from 15 to 18 September in Brussels,” said Smet. “The 2017 edition is also the 10tth anniversary of the ‘To school/to work with no car’ action.”
The Belgian Automobile and Car Federation, Febiac, will be participating in Mobility Week for the first time.
For Minister Smet, practising mixed mobility in the capital would make it possible to restore a “balance to public space in order to improve the quality of life and air in the capital”.
As in other years, Car-Free Sunday will be the big day for soft mobility in the capital. The many activities programmed for the day include free cycle repairs, the “Beau vélo de Ravel” – a 26 km mixed-mobility course -, a parade of retro cycles, a 200th anniversary village, a Kids on wheelz operation for children and a big music festival.
The local public transport operator in Brussels, STIB, will be providing free transport on these lines.
The Brussels Times
