Traffic congestion could benefit if motorcyclists used their two-wheelers as an everyday mobility alternative more often, the Belgian Automobile and Cycle Federation said Monday, marking the occasion of the Ride to Work Day.
To mark the event, the federation, FEBIAC, said that motorized two-wheelers could be a viable mobility solution to help decongest Belgian roads, calling for wider promotion of the use of motorbikes and scooters in Belgium for everyday transportation, and not just for leisure.
The federation issued a call to create a mobility budget where both motorbikes and scooters would be fully integrated and called on employers to adopt measures to promote their everyday use, such as the creation of dedicated parking spots or of special lockers for helmets.
FEBIAC said that while employees can sometimes receive allowances for their vehicles, motorcycle or scooter are seen as private vehicles and their owners must, therefore, assume all of the costs.
Celebrated on the third Monday of June, Ride to Work Day is an international event aiming to promote the use of motorcycles and scooters as an everyday means of transportation, instead of only for leisurely rides.
Atop their two-wheelers, motorcyclists can avoid traffic jam headaches by slipping through vehicles blocked in line, provided overall speed does not exceed 50 km/h and that the speed difference between the motorized two-wheelers and the cars is no bigger than 20 km/h.
In May, an international traffic report found that the Brussels roads were the most congested, on par with London and ahead of Paris, and that drivers in the Belgian capital could expect a journey to take 37% longer than it should, on average.
The Brussels Times
