For several weeks now, collisions between bicycles in the Bois de la Cambre have been on the rise, BX1 reports.
The problem was denounced by the Tervuren-Montgomery Committee after a succession of accidents involving speeding cyclists in Brussels' most iconic green space has worried residents and park dwellers.
Part of the road around the ponds is closed to cars, allowing pedestrians and cyclists to enjoy a leisurely stroll or cycle.
However, there are also those practising sport, particularly cyclists who take advantage of the loop around the ponds to perfect their speed. Many large cycling teams use Bois de la Cambre as their training ground, riding in a pack.
This has led to several collisions in recent weeks which were reported by the Tervuren committee.
'My life was in danger'
Last Tuesday, Philippe Van Lagendonck was involved in a collision with another cyclist. He was out cycling with his son when a group of cyclists came up in front of him at high speed, and one of them collided head-on with Philippe.
"Some pedestrians were in a group returning home, when a dozen cyclists came from the other direction and avoided the pedestrians on their right, except for one who collided with me head-on," Van Lagendonck told BX1. Both men were taken to emergency, with the sport cyclist in a critical condition.
"My life was put in danger... I have a lot of esteem for those who do sport, move and do sprints, but there are no rules here," he continues, saying the issue arises to the multiple uses for the road. Van Lagendonck says he believes the mayor should be criminally liable for the incident.
City of Brussels Mobility councillor Bart Dhont said the municipality is looking into various options to tackle the problem. "The Bois de la Cambre is officially a pedestrian zone, and the objective has never been to replace car rodeos with cycling rodeos. We therefore invite cyclists to adapt their speed so that Bois de la Cambre can remain a place of relaxation for everyone," Dhont said.
