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Aalst wants bike highway to Brussels
The city council of Aalst wants a bicycle connection from Aalst to Brussels, along the former railway line via Opwijk and Asse, according to Aalst mobility minister Dylan Casaer. Part of the route is already included in the Bicycle-GEN project, but the municipality wants to see the entire route included.
The Bicycle-GEN (Cycling Regional Express) project aims to provide a connection between several Flemish communes outside of Brussels and the city of Brussels by 2025.
The section between the Asse train station and Brussels has been recognised as a Bicycle-GEN link, and parts of it are already in use. But the bicycle connection between Brussels and Aalst via Opwijk is still waiting to be approved by the governments of the Flemish- and Brussels-Capital regions. A bike path already connects Opwijk to Aalst, the Leirekensroute.
"For people who are tired of the daily traffic jams, the bike offers a viable alternative to commuting between Aalst and Brussels," Casaer told Het Laatste Nieuws.
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The Fiets-GEN or RER-vélo project seeks to build a regional express network (Gewestelijke Expresnet / réseau express régional) for cyclists, similar to the rapid transit network for trains, and in some cases with the cycle paths running alongside the rail tracks. There is already an 'HST-fietsroute' (HST cycle route) between Leuven (Louvain) and Brussels, part of which runs alongside the high-speed train line (hence the name). Another route is planned between Halle and Brussels alongside the canal. Compared with road-building and public transport, cycling infrastructure is cheap to build and makes a bigger contribution to reducing congestion per euro of public money spent. It also improves public health, by reducing the incidence of diseases linked to sedentary lifestyles, and reduces air pollution. As electrically assisted bicycles become increasingly common, cycling longish distances to work is becoming a practical option for many more people. However, as these routes link Brussels Region to Flanders or Wallonia, cooperation between the regions is essential.