For one day next month, Brussels will ban all cars from its territory: on Sunday 17 September, the capital city will become the largest zone in Europe without any four-wheeled vehicles.
By keeping out "King Car," Brussels gives the streets back to locals and tourists who can (re)discover the pleasure of walking, cycling, stepping or travelling by public transport for a day. Kicking off European Mobility Week, car-free Sunday will see lots of activities and festivities organised on the usually car-heavy streets of the Capital Region.
In recent years, the popularity of the day without cars has grown a lot, while the positivity of this event in the region has become increasingly clear: last year, pollutants present in the air decreased by up to 90% on this day, while noise pollution in many areas dropped significantly.
Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt proposed organising more car-free days and discussed it at last year's conference of mayors, however, it was not accepted because "it was too much of a burden on their budget."
"I have been told that it is not the right time. So we are going to continue to push for small car-free days at car boot sales. I am still convinced that we need several car-free days," she noted in a statement to The Brussels Times.
She stressed that the annual day is always "a day of celebration," and that the public space belongs to everyone. "We breathe easier, we see the city differently," she said.
Van den Brandt has now suggested organising such a day during the Iris Festival, the annual and official celebration of the Brussels-Capital Region, on 8 May.
What do you think? Let @Maajtee know.
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