Brussels come out against bikes yet again

[Jaws]

Published on 29 October 2019 by Mike Waters


Filed under Category:


A study on banning motorcycles and scooters in the city of Brussels to reduce emissions has prompted widespread criticism by motoring groups.

Brussels Environment, the official agency tasked with managing environmental and energy-related matters within the region of the Belgian capital, has announced that it will study emissions by Powered Two-Wheelers throughout next year before it comes to a decision on whether to ban motorcycles and scooters within the local low emissions zone.

Motoring groups have objected strongly to the announcement, and the Belgian Federation of Automobile and Cycle Industries (FEBIAC) deemed it “pure provocation”. Others, however, were baffled by the move and La Dernière Heure noted that motorcycles were responsible for just 6% of carbon dioxide emissions and 0.2% of nitrogen emissions in the city.

Commenting, Chairman of FEBIAC Phillipe Dehennin told Het Laatste Nieuws: “This kind of reasoning is simplistic because it targets a minority of the road users and because it has been proven that daily traffic jams could be reduced with 40% if only 10% of drivers would choose a motorcycle instead of a car. We invite the Region to look at mobility in a different way instead of announcing a ban.”

 

[DuxDeluxe]

They live on a different planet. As long as the Eurocrats (local ones) don’t lose their own travel privileges they don’t care

 

[David and Sally]

Typical muddled thinking in ivory towers

 

[hilldweller]

Typical muddled thinking in ivory towers

Thinking ? Thinking ?

You have to be joking.

 

[jongood]

They live on a different planet. As long as the Eurocrats (local ones) don’t lose their own travel privileges they don’t care

Quite - All pigs are equal!

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[DuxDeluxe]

Quite - All pigs are equal!

Four legs good, two legs bad......... was that Dylan Thomas that said that?

 

[David and Sally]

Four legs good, two legs bad......... was that Dylan Thomas that said that?

George Orwell - Animal Farm?

 

[Badknee]

Great thinking that. So much easier to park a hundred cars than a hundred bikes..........not!

 

[peterc10]

Four legs good, two legs bad......... was that Dylan Thomas that said that?

No that was Dylan off the magic roundabout.

 

[RowleyBirkinQC]

I’m baffled about the supposed logic behind this, in that I don’t think there is any/much. Stinks of politicians personal dislike for certain modes of transportation. Bizarre IMHO given the inherent benefits of powered 2 wheeled vehicles when it comes to emissions, mpg, traffic volumes, parking etc etc...

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[StephDeLux]

Brussels is a region with its own government. In Belgium all governments are coalitions because of the proportional representation system in parliaments. The Greens are generally willing to be part of any coalition provided they get their pound of flesh in the form of pretty radical measures to ban this or stop that. They have made it extraordinarily difficult to have 4G in Brussels, for example. They have demanded and obtained a law that makes it legal for bicycles to go both ways in streets that are one-way for other transports, creating life-threatening situations. They are rapidly getting most cars banned from the city, creating misery for hundreds of thousands of working people. They have mandated some redesigns of streets, crossing, and avenue to reduce their traffic capacity. And it goes on and on and on. And because of the proportional system, they cannot be voted out. They are in all governments even if they only get 6 or 10% of the vote because they allow parties who are close to majority to form a majority government.

 

[Allanm]

Brussels is a region with its own government. .................They have demanded and obtained a law that makes it legal for bicycles to go both ways in streets that are one-way for other transports, creating life-threatening situations. ............

Rubbish
Cambridge has had that law for for years and it works very well. Motorists take more care and look out for cyclists.

 

[Paddywack]

Rubbish
Cambridge has had that law for for years and it works very well. Motorists take more care and look out for cyclists.

I think Stephene was just displaying a typical Mercedes drivers view of cyclists! If they'd got their Hymer on a Fiat they would have welcomed such enlightened transport infrastructure that allows cyclists to use one way streets.

 

[jockaneezer]

I wonder if there's still a lot of stinky two stroke 'peds running around Brussels ?

 

[The Wino]

I wonder if there's still a lot of stinky two stroke 'peds running around Brussels ?

My thinking too rather than being anti motorbikes it could just be anti emissions. They need to look at the average journey length and emissions per person I bet bikes come out better than cars not least because of less time stationary. Of course it could be they are trying to get people off motorbikes and onto electric bikes for short journeys which would have to be a good thing.

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[MR. FUSION]

When I was in Laos I was breathing in and literally coughing up two stroke oil in the towns.......so there is a point, with 2 strokes anyway.

 

[StephDeLux]

Rubbish
Cambridge has had that law for for years and it works very well. Motorists take more care and look out for cyclists.

I think Stephene was just displaying a typical Mercedes drivers view of cyclists! If they'd got their Hymer on a Fiat they would have welcomed such enlightened transport infrastructure that allows cyclists to use one way streets.

As you wish, it is not my brain that risks being splashed on a windshield.

 

[Allanm]

My thinking too rather than being anti motorbikes it could just be anti emissions. They need to look at the average journey length and emissions per person I bet bikes come out better than cars not least because of less time stationary. Of course it could be they are trying to get people off motorbikes and onto electric bikes for short journeys which would have to be a good thing.

I don’t know Brussels well, but it seems they have very good public transport systems and my guess is they want to restrict all vehicles to reduce emissions to make the the town centre a more pleasant, pedestrian friendly and cleaner environment.
A good thing, in my view.
Seems like they are doing things the right way round, provide a good public transport system then start reducing vehicle usage within that area till only necessary vehicles are being used.

As you wish, it is not my brain that risks being splashed on a windshield.

Nor mine, nor the tens of thousands of cyclists who pedal safely around Cambridge every year.

 

[PhilG]

Belgium is a great place to look at what happens , when you have multiple coaliltions .. off road motor sport has been decimated by the Green Party , who hold the balance of power in most areas, and use that to steam roller through stuff that would never see light of day any other way . Absolutely ridiculous.

I had to laugh when Ian Hislop said that we had effectively backed ourselves in a position where we are Governed by the DUP... so we are in the same boat .

 

[StephDeLux]

Yes, now in the South part of the country it is even forbidden to walk in the forests outside of the paths.

Public land used to be free to walk for anybody, not anymore!

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[StephDeLux]

I don’t know Brussels well, but it seems they have very good public transport systems

True. It is remarkably good. That a government feels the need to forbid the use of cars and motorbikes even when there is good public transport should tell you something about the adequacy of public transport to the needs of large parts of the working population.

 

[PhilG]

True. It is remarkably good. That a government feels the need to forbid the use of cars and motorbikes even when there is good public transport should tell you something about the adequacy of public transport to the needs of large parts of the working population.

I have driven through Brussels and Antwerp at least 10 times this year , and traffic in both rivals the Dartford Crossing... my aim is always to get through whichever I am going through straight off the ferry, even when we don't land till 1am.. on a Friday , they are both gridlocked. If they encouraged bikes and scooters and places to store them , securely , a lot of traffic would be gone.

As much as I love Belgium, it really is a pain in the arse . I had my barbecue condemned by the Belgian fire service as it didn't have a Belgian standard on the pipe, they cut the regulator off it while I was using it . Same with my fire Extinguisher, didn't comply because it was a UK one. You just have to smile and put up with it .

 

[ctc]

I’m baffled about the supposed logic behind this, in that I don’t think there is any/much. Stinks of politicians personal dislike for certain modes of transportation. Bizarre IMHO given the inherent benefits of powered 2 wheeled vehicles when it comes to emissions, mpg, traffic volumes, parking etc etc...

And of course the noise they have to make.

 

[Allanm]

True. It is remarkably good. That a government feels the need to forbid the use of cars and motorbikes even when there is good public transport should tell you something about the adequacy of public transport to the needs of large parts of the working population.

I would think the fact that they have a good public transport system would negate or at least reduce the need for private vehicles to enter the city.
It’s all about reducing emissions in town centres so people who live and work there can breathe clean air.

I used to work in a London before they brought in the LEZ. I have asthma and always suffered with the pollution.

Last year, I drove into London and stopped at Abbey Wood campsite, within the LEZ
I had no problems with my breathing.
I am all for reducing emissions and if that means banning vehicles, however many wheels they have, I am for it.

 

[Allanm]

Four legs good, two legs bad......... was that Dylan Thomas that said that?

No....


George Orwell.

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[DuxDeluxe]

No....


George Orwell.

I should really have put a smiley on that one. Dylan was Welsh, after all

 

[StephDeLux]

I would think the fact that they have a good public transport system would negate or at least reduce the need for private vehicles to enter the city.

That all depends on your occupation and the planning of your day. It also depends not only on the availability of public transports in the destination city (Brussels) but also on how your living area is deserved.

Finally what you say might work for a large part of the people who live in Brussels, but the vast majority of the people who work in Brussels don't live there. They come from all over the country and for them, relying on public transport will most often double or triple their time of travel, even with the traffic congestion at peak hours.

 

[DBK]

Bristol is proposing banning all diesel cars during the day over quite a large area. Not without some controversy...

Bristol diesel ban: Concerns raised over 'stupid' plan

A plan to ban privately owned diesel cars from Bristol city centre has prompted concerns.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Wild Brambles]

Get rid of the EU. That would stop a load of wasted journeys and pollution in Brussels, and transport to and from it.

 

[Theonlysue]

Surely, a person traveling on a motorbike would produce less emissions than the person traveling In a car??
I want to know,who was the eejiot who decided to reduce power to vacuum cleaners? Was there ever a more stupid law????
Bet it was a man ??

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