The Bike to Work initiative, launched by the cycling associations Fietsersbond and Gracq to encourage Belgian workers to cycle to work, has gained over 24,000 members in 5 years. A statement on Monday said members cycle an average of 17.6km a day. When the Bike to Work project was launched in 2009, there were only 1,109 sign ups. Five years later, they total 24,309. The Brussels region recruited the most members, boasting 5,187 participants, with Antwerp coming a close second with 5,128 enrolled, and in third is Gand, with 3,524 members.
Dieter Snauwaert, the Bike to Work coordinator working with the Flemish association Fietsersbond, is very positive about the increasing numbers of people using their bicycle to get to and from work. "Innovations like the electric bike, improved cycle-wear and new infrastructures should further stimulate cycling," he says.
The average daily distance members of Bike to Work travel is 17.6 miles, while the average distance between the members' home and place of work is 12.4 km. "Cycling further than they would possibly drive clearly doesn't put cyclists off," he says, "and this proves how effective cycling is as a means of sustainable transportation to and from the workplace."
(Source: Belga)
