The new Bruxell’Air bonus launched in March 2022 was given in one year to 2,300 Brussels residents, Brussels Climate Minister Alain Maron (Ecolo) said on Friday.
Noting that air pollution from road traffic causes many illnesses and more than 1,000 premature deaths per year in Brussels, he said the number of beneficiaries of the bonus had more than tripled compared to the previous year.
Beneficiaries were able to take advantage of a wider range of sustainable mobility services, such as public transport, taxis, bicycles, scooters and shared cars.
New bonus was increased, modulated and pegged to income
The old scheme offered only two options: a STIB season ticket or €500 to finance the purchase of a bike. According to the minister, in addition to an expanded offer, the redesign of this bonus was intended to make it more attractive, more accessible and more social.
The simplified and accelerated processing of the bonus has undoubtedly also contributed to this success, by making it more accessible.
Another innovation is that the amount of the bonus was increased and modulated according to income (€500, €700 or €900) so that the most vulnerable people would be the main beneficiaries.
Bicycle budget, STIB season tickets are the most popular gifts
This social objective has been met, continued Maron: more than 60% of the bonuses have been granted to households on low incomes or including a person with a disability.
The two services most in demand among those on offer are the bicycle budget and STIB season tickets. Next come the various shared mobility services such as Cambio, the Modalizy Card and taxis. Beneficiaries are spread throughout the Region.
Funded mainly through the European plan for recovery and resilience, NextGenerationEU, the new Bruxell’Air bonus is managed by Brussels Environment in collaboration with Brussels Mobility.
