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Car still popular commute, even for short distances

10:52 21/08/2018

According to Sport Vlaanderen, which carried out an online survey, half of all commuters live less than 10 kilometres from their jobs. And one in three of those still uses the car to get to work.

The questionnaire was answered by 18,000 workers from 162 companies across Flanders and Brussels. A large number of respondents also said they would like to get more exercise, so Sport Vlaanderen – a government agency that promotes sports and exercise – came to a clear conclusion.

“Workers need to take another look at cycling,” Ken Nys of Sport Vlaanderen told VRT. “If they cycle for half an hour a day getting to and from work, that counts as exercise they don’t have to make room for in the evenings. So the argument ‘I don’t have time for exercise,’ doesn’t work anymore. It’s a quick-win.”

Nys pointed out that many workers have bicycles and find cycling to work a positive thing. But the process gets stalled between good intentions and action. He thinks employers can nudge their workers in the right direction.

“They need to realise how crucial sport is: A healthy workforce on a large scale improves relationships and creates a better internal atmosphere,” he said. “Employers should provide opportunities for exercise, such as during the lunch hour. They can also work up a cycling policy or let them work in cycling clothes.”

Written by Flanders Today