Towards Greener Post-Pandemic Cities: the Case of Brussels and Transport
With a population of over 1,2 million, Brussels is quite a peculiar city. Located in the heart of Europe it hosts some of the most important EU and NATO headquarters and is therefore home to a vast cosmopolitan population. The constant movement of international citizens as well as numerous other factors caused the city to suffer substantially during the coronavirus pandemic.
What has been going on in Belgium?
The situation in Belgium has been similar to other central-European countries: the cases of infections rose in mid-March 2020 and peaked around a month later. The country is however often mentioned as the world’s most affected nation in terms of number of deaths per population. This might be due to Belgians over-reporting the number of cases: the authorities here report not only hospital deaths but also figures from care homes as well as deaths only suspected to be caused by the virus.
In these difficult times, the government of Belgium was forced to make numerous important decisions, for example implementing a lockdown in the country to try and prevent further infections. Closing down public spaces and prohibition of gatherings were amongst the main confinement measures which also affected the cityscape of Brussels. Despite the record-hot spring, usually crowded and lively areas in Brussels showed an eerie image of abandonment and emptiness. This has lasted for over two months and as of June, the freeze of the public sphere is thawing.
Moving around in Brussels
The government in Belgium reacted to the pandemic in various ways, for example by creating crisis units which ensured a good flow of information about the current situation. The authorities also took decisions based (as much as possible) on the recommendations of health experts. As an example, during the lockdown introduced due to the pandemic, the frequency of public transport services was reduced and car traffic lowered significantly leaving lots of space for pedestrians and cyclists.
In Brussels specifically, it has been actively encouraged to make use of the emptier streets by bike. Once authorities started easing down the lockdown at the beginning of May, expanding the city’s cycling network was one of the first applied measures. The regional authority — Brussels Mobility added almost 40 kilometers of bike paths, or designated biking areas and called on all citizens to choose cycling as much as possible in order to avoid overcrowding public transport or excessive car usage. In the center of the Belgian capital, priority has been given to pedestrians and cyclists, introducing a speed limit of maximum 20km/h for all cars within the area. This was met with some criticism as Brussels is already known for its congested streets and constant traffic jams which add to the air pollution and frustration of much of the population. A speed limit of 20km/h, and whole road lanes designated for cycling will make it difficult to move around in the capital’s center and might encourage the use of public transport or bikes even after the pandemic.
Much of the new infrastructure and measures will be adapted to stay for a longer time, as a part of the new urban strategy adopted in Brussels in March 2020. It’s a 10-year plan developed by Brussels Mobility aiming for a 25% reduction of car use by building new metro and tram lines as well as cycling and walking paths. Since the pandemic slowed down the rush in the Belgian capital, it created a fresh opportunity to start implementing the new urban strategy and becoming a climate-neutral, greener city. The Belgians don’t have to look far for a good example of this practice: their neighbor — the Netherlands is known for its bike history, culture and fantastic cycling infrastructure. There, many citizens choose bikes for economic and environmental reasons. Brussels is however a big city and statistics have shown a preference for cars and public transport as the main mobility service. New infrastructure can help with the shift however at the end of the day convenience and practicality also important factors in choosing one’s transport mode. It might therefore take a little more time for a shift in mindsets.
What does that mean for the future of the city?
Urbanism: the ways in which we plan, design and utilize public and private spaces are already shifting in the current circumstances. Cities will need to change and adapt even more for a safe, sustainable future.
The way we move around and choose to get from point A to point B is one of the many aspects affected by the pandemic: even though there is less traffic in many places affected by the virus, there has been an overall shift to private cars which are now considered as safer than shared public transport. We cannot however forget that our safety is also influenced by the safety and well-being of the environment: using your car might be better for the time being but not in the long term. As people slowly start going back to offices and other workplaces all over the world, road traffic, which has reduced during the confinement period, will spike again, increasing air pollution. It is now up to city makers, planners and citizens to re-think their daily patterns, implement necessary changes and strive to learn from the current situation. Using the crisis as an opportunity can be observed in different cities all over the world, not just Brussels. London, Milan, Berlin or New York, just to name a few, have also introduced more, or less permanent measures which encourage cycling and walking around the city. Although such methods might not work everywhere in the world, the idea of slowing down, re-thinking and re-imagining cities has hopefully been planted in the minds of post-pandemic urbanists.
June 2020.
