Two new cycling routes were inaugurated in Brussels on Saturday July 3rd by Brussels Mobility, in collaboration with Brussels Environment, Walloon Brabant Tourism, Toerisme Vlaams-Brabant, Toerisme Vlaanderen and Visit Brussels. The two new routes are meant to highlight Brussels and its surroundings.
Cyclists must download a GPX file with the pre-programmed itinerary onto their smartphones from Bike Brussels via the Brussels Mobility website. The itineraries pass by tourist sites and by places offering the possibility to picnic or to eat. The first route (P1 – La Hulpe) is a 50 km trail through the landscape of Pajottenland, and the second (P2 Pajottennland) invites you to discover the hills and vast forests of Flemish and Walloon Brabant.
In combination with walking or taking the train, the bicycle is convincing more and more Belgians as a means of travel to work or to change their mind. I am happy to discover today one of the ten new cycle routes, in and around Brussels, open to all. Let’s make the most of this summer to take advantage of our freedom.
Georges Gilkinet, Federal Minister of Mobility
According to the Brussels Times, the new routes include a 50 km path through the Pajottenland, which lies west of Brussels, while the second one crosses the hills and forests in the Flemish and Wallon Brabant.
Philippe Henry, Walloon Minister of Mobility, pointed out that Wallonia, like Brussels, is betting a lot on the bicycle, which must be encouraged to become an everyday mode of transportation and an extraordinary alternative to the car. Elke Van den Brandt added that during the confinement, the people of Brussels have really taken to walking and cycling on their daily routines.
Summer is here, we deserve to enjoy it!
Elke Van den Brandt, Minister of Mobility, Public Works and Road Safety
Van den Brandt pointed out that it was an opportunity to do local tourism by going to the castles of Pajottenland or the hills and forests of Walloon Brabant. Valérie De Bue, Walloon Minister of Tourism, was pleased that the bicycle has “become a first choice means to allow citizens to travel through our beautiful regions to discover a local and sustainable tourism”.
Rudi Vervoort, Minister-President of the Brussels-Capital Region, and Sven Gatz, Brussels Minister in charge of promoting the image of Brussels, both congratulated the exemplary collaboration between the three Regions that has resulted from this initiative.
More routes will be added every weekend during the summer months of July and August.
