Bikes in Brussels gives €1 million to cycling projects

More than €1 million will be given to different cycling infrastructure projects in Brussels, provided by the Bikes in Brussels Fund, managed by the King Baudouin Foundation.

Eight new rides along Brussels’ Promenade Verte will be completed, thanks to the organisation’s support of €991,390. Seven other new cycling-friendly projects will be helped by more than €140,000, the Foundation announced. A new project selection will be made at the end of the year.

The improvements to the Promenade Verte (the 60km path allowing walkers and cyclists to tour Brussels in a green and safe way) will be made in Anderlecht, Evere, Forest, Uccle and Watermael-Boitsfort. Going through the Brussels region’s green areas, the new or improved sections will be designed to optimise comfort, safety and visibility.

The fund is also providing support for seven new cycling infrastructure projects around the capital. CHU Brugmann – HUDERF hospital in Laeken will re-develop a brownfield site as a secure cycle park for use by its staff at the Horta site, with the help of €53,240 from the fund.

Bikes in Brussels will also allocate €39,704 for cycle parking spaces in its four Berchem-Sainte-Agathe nursery and primary schools, to encourage cycling to school.

The Athénée Royal of Woluwe-Saint-Lambert will receive €15,000 to set up three covered bike parks. The commune has also been given €6,844 to help set up an enclosed and secure cycle parking lot for 55 bicycles at the Haute Ecole Léonard de Vinci.

The organisation has also given Etterbeek’s Basisschool Koninklijk Atheneum €6,100 to create a second covered cycle park to allow more children and parents to cycle to the nursery school.

Meanwhile, in Uccle, Epsylon (the Brussels network of psychiatric care) will acquire five electric bikes and develop secure bicycle parking spaces for residents and staff, helped by a €15,498 subsidy.

Finally, €6,000 will be given to a youth centre in the Marolles in Brussels, so it can set up a cycle repair workshop and train young people and a group leader.

Set up at the end of 2018 under the King Baudouin Foundation, Bikes in Brussels wants to promote cycling as a means of transport in and around the Brussels-Capital region.

It supports initiatives developed by associations, government and public and private partners to encourage cycling. Since its creation, the fund has already supported 27 projects totalling more than €2.6 million.