Despite a fourth citizen inquiry about Brussels' much-discussed Good Move traffic plan at the City Council on Monday evening, the Capital Region's Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt said that she is "happy" with the results.
Two residents challenged the Good Move plan – which prioritises pedestrians and cyclists over cars in the streets in different Brussels municipalities – on Monday, claiming that it has an adverse impact on people with reduced mobility in their neighbourhood of the Marolles.
"There are people who are really not happy and you have to listen to them," Van den Brandt told Bel RTL on Tuesday morning. "There is a phase of assessment; if there are real issues, you have to adapt."
In the Marolles district, the changes include closing five local roads and changing the direction of traffic on some streets. Some local residents have denounced safety problems caused by the plan in certain places, as well as discrimination against people with reduced mobility linked to the number of parking spaces.
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Unlike Schaerbeek and Anderlecht, however, the City of Brussels has neither suspended nor cancelled the plan following citizens' protests, such as in the Cage-aux-Ours neighbourhood or in Cureghem. "We see that in some places, the support we need is not there yet," Van den Brandt said, adding that she is nevertheless "happy" with the results so far.
"We see that there are 20% fewer cars and 20% more cyclists in the city centre ('Vijfhoek' in Dutch, 'Pentagone' in French). On the Small Ring Road, there are 16% fewer cars," stressed Van den Brant. "There is less traffic and more safety for children in the neighbourhood, as well as less air pollution."
