The Walloon Minister in charge of Mobility and Climate, Philippe Henry, will propose to the Walloon government next week to grant a subsidy for people buying an electric bicycle, he announced in the Sudpresse newspapers.
This subsidy, ranging from €200 to €400 depending on the model, will be available to people who want to commute with an electric or folding bicycle. The subsidy should be implemented by the summer.
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Henry also announced a bonus for municipalities and employers to equip themselves with bike parking facilities, secured stalls or recharging points, as well as a bonus for carrying out repairs to their bikes.
As Belgium comes out of the lockdown due to the new coronavirus (Covid-19), now is a "good time to achieve a change of habits and mentality in favour of walking and cycling,” Henry said.
Wallonia is not the only part of the country to promote cycling. In late April, Brussels’ mobility minister announced that 40 kilometres of new cycling paths would be rolled out, and the city moved to turn the area inside its inner ring into a zone where pedestrians and cyclists have priority over cars.
Belgium also has a favourable tax regime when it comes to cycling, with employees who cycle to work allowed up to €0.24 per kilometre in compensation.
Jason Spinks
The Brussels Times
