Brussels: ‘6 000 more safe bicycle parking spaces needed’

As a consequence of the coronavirus health crisis and the abandonment of public transport, cycling in Brussels increased by 75% compared to last year. According to CycloParking, that increase underlines a significant problem of the Belgian capital with 6 000 demands for secure bike parking spots pending.

With the increase in cycling, bicycle thefts are also on the rise. In that context, non-profit organization CycloParking and parking.brussels have inaugurated a secure bicycle parking this Wednesday.

Located in a private space rented by the companies, it can accommodate up to twelve bicycles and two cargo bikes. Based on a yearly subscription (€60 and €120 for cargo bikes), it offers a secure and safe place to park bicycles.

“The development of bicycle parking with access control is an increasingly pressing need. Although there are already several initiatives in this area, they cannot be reproduced ad infinitum and there is a need to diversify the offer to meet as many requests as possible,” explains Pierre Vassart, spokesperson for parking.brussels.

Seeking opportunities

“In the Brussels Region, there are vacant premises that do not offer any particular functions. Whether they are unoccupied homes, empty shops, or premises with no function, there is a real opportunity to transform these places into riverside bicycle parking facilities.”

“If you have a closed and covered space that you do not use, send us photos and the dimensions of the space to [email protected] and we will organize a visit with our teams,” adds the spokesperson.

“Many Brussels’ citizens want to invest in a bicycle and unfortunately have no place to put it. This hinders our transition to cycling. We are, therefore, working to offer a range of parking solutions to the people of Brussels. More bicycle racks in the streets, more bicycle boxes, and small closed car parks in the heart of the districts,” explains Elke Van den Brandt (Groen), Brussels Mobility Minister.