A subsidy of up to €4000 for Brussels-based micro-, small, and medium businesses wishing to buy a cargo bike was announced by the Brussels-Capital Region on Tuesday in the hopes of promoting this mode of transport among businesses.
The region was selected to be part of Urban Innovative Actions - a scheme backed by the European Commission to test solutions for sustainable urban development. Brussels has been selected for the Cairgo Bike plan which aims to help businesses adopt cargo bikes specifically.
The bonus can be claimed through the Brussels Economy and Employment and is worth up to €4000 for cargo bikes and €2000 for a bicycle trailer. Each company can claim a maximum of €12000 per year and a cumulative total of €20,000 via the Cairgo Bike project, running until 30 June 2023. Subsidies must be used for professional needs and be an essential part of a business' activities.
The total budget for the scheme is €500,000 - 80% of which is funded by the EU. Cargo bikes are an ideal mode of transport for numerous short journeys within a city. They are considerably less expensive than commercial vehicles (such as vans) or cars and, in most cases, are more effective for logistics.
Additionally, cargo bikes are not prey to traffic jams, do not need to pay for parking, and can access many pedestrian zones that conventional vehicles cannot. Of course, they can also play a significant role in reducing pollution and congestion making them an important part of the region's ecological transition.
As if that weren't enough advantages, Elke Van den Brandt - Brussels Minister of Mobility - underlines their positive impact in reducing noise pollution and air quality. Studies show that they could replace around 50% of motorised journeys for business-related traffic in the city.
Information on the Cairgo Bike subsidy can be found here.
The Brussels Times
