Ghent is investing over one and a half million euro in boosting local tourism in a sustainable way. The city assists entrepreneurs in developing a new coronavirus-proof tourist offer. The offer also highlights sustainable aspects of Ghent’s tourist offer, for example, cycling and walking routes will lead visitors to the sub-municipalities, the periphery, the green belt and less frequently visited sites in the city centre. Read more here
Contact: Els Uytterhoeven
The city of Antwerp will speed up the construction of 19 km of new bicycle streets to guarantee social distancing for cyclists and improve the flow of bicycle traffic this summer. Currently, Antwerp possessed about 4.5 km of bicycle streets, to be increased to 23.5 km after the summer. Read more here
Ghent has put in place measures to guarantee that the reopening of shops was safe for all. Pedestrians have to follow directions like traffic, and on main shopping streets they’ll find ‘waiting spots’ on the pavement in case of queues. A group of 30 ‘warm-hearted shopping street assistants’ are available to answer questions and mediate in case of problems. To make it easy for shoppers to wash their hands often, the city has also installed washbasins, and to encourage the use of bikes, Ghent has added bicycle parking in the area. Read more here
Contact: Els Uytterhoeven
Cycling is on the rise in Budapest dutring the corona pandemic. Measurements show a significant increase of bicycle use in the city, as a healthy and affordable way of moving. The city had created new temporary bike lanes and wants to preserve this change after corona. You can read more here
Contact: Adrienn Magyar
Starting this week one of the main roads along Brighton & Hove’s seafront will be closed to motor vehicle traffic in order to provide residents with extra space to take exercise. Read more here
Contact: Rachel Williams
The Municipality of Budapest is establishing temporary bicycle lanes on some important routes to provide residents with an alternative and safer way to work.
Many people are temporarily looking for modes of transportation where they could minimise contact with others. Due to this and the drastic reduction of the price of the local bike sharing scheme, the bicycle traffic in Budapest has increased. The decrease in overall traffic provides an opportunity to improve Budapest’s bicycle transport network with rapid intervention. Cycling is a suitable form of transport even during the pandemic. Read more here.
Contact: Adrienn Magyar
Healthcare workers, who are able to prove their work, are now permitted to make use of all public transport service for free until the end of the emergency. Additionally, in order to protect drivers of public transport vehicles, passengers are no longer allowed to board by the front doors or sit in the first few seats, which is now closed on busses and trolley busses. A further measure includes reducing the fee for Budapest’s bike-sharing system pass to 100 HUF. Read more here and here and here
Contact: Adrienn Magyar
In order to ensure the highest possible mobility for residents and guests, even under the current conditions, Berlin is temporarily making the first 30 minutes of rental for its public bike rental system free of charge. “We want to offer people as many options as possible to stay healthy and mobile”, the Senator for transport, Regine Günther, said. Until Easter, the bikes can be rented via an app once or several times a day for a free half an hour. In addition to the positive overall effects on public health, this is also meant to reduce the risk of infection.
You can read more here (in German)
Contact: Johanna Eisenberg
Madrid city council has suspended parking fees and closed down its bike sharing scheme. The offer of free parking had already been in operation in areas surrounding hospitals for a few days, in order to make access easier for staff and patients, but has now been extended throughout the city.
Read more here
Contact: Ana Buñuel
