Next year, Flemish Minister for Mobility and Public Works (Open Vld) will invest 2,3 billion euros in 815 projects. In all those projects, three keywords are involved: bicycle, safety, and sustainability.

The largest part of the budget is destined for the Agency for Roads and Traffic (Agentschap Wegen en Verkeer, AWV) (€738 million) and the Department for Mobility and Public Works (€526 million). The Flemish Waterway (Vlaamse Waterweg) will receive €323 million, and the public transport company De Lijn €320 million.

‘Bicycle region’

Minister Peeters emphasizes that she will keep on investing in bicycle infrastructure (>€300 million). “Flanders has to become a ‘bicycle region’,” she says. “The bicycle share for functional trips has to grow to 20% by 2025 at the latest.”

“We have to create conflict-free intersections and create safe school surroundings. We must focus on education and awareness-raising and stop the biggest killers in traffic: alcohol and drugs, speed, and distraction.”

Proactive detection

In 2018, the Flemish government listed all dangerous traffic spots in Flanders. Last year, the list counted 300 dangerous points. In the meantime, 122 of those ‘problem spots’ have been addressed, and a solution is near for 96 of the remaining 178 spots. In concrete terms, this means that the work is in progress, planned, or being prepared.

However, Minister Peeters wants to act proactively. That is why she launched two pilot sites where proactive detection of traffic situations is tested using cameras and drones. The experiment fits in the context of MIA. She also wants to make up a team to analyze serious traffic accidents.

Water management

Other priorities are traffic safety and sustainability. Hence the ambition to further ‘green’ the fleet of public transport company De Lijn and create charging equivalents for electric vehicles by 2025.

And last but not least, Minister Peeters wants to continue investments in water management. “The floodings in the summer of 2021 were a wake-up call for all of us,” she says. For 2023, she will reserve about 125 million euros. For coastal protection, she will earmark 48 million euros.