Each euro invested in the motorway cycle lanes scheme will yield between two to fourteen euros in terms of health benefits. This is reported on Monday in De Standaard. The Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO) reached this conclusion, as a result of an analysis of costs and advantages of motorway bike lanes constructed between Antwerp and Malines, and between Leuven and Brussels.
VITO says that the negative points in health terms of the infrastructure for such routes include the risk of accidents. On the other hand, the Institute lists as, amongst the advantages, increased physical exercise and decreased atmospheric pollution.
In addition, the increased number of users of these motorway cycle lanes enables a significant financial benefit for society as a whole. Indeed, if only 600 cyclists use them each day, the advantage in terms of healthcare expenses avoided is twice as significant as the construction costs. If 4,400 people use such cycling infrastructures on a daily basis, the benefit then derived increases by ten to fourteen times.
The Brussels Times
