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Brussels moves to make streets around its schools safer

by editor
Thirteen new school streets are to be created in the Brussels-Capital Region following a call for projects launched by the Region.
A budget of 1.5 million euros has been earmarked for communes to install school streets within the next two years and 14 of the municipalities in Brussels have already submitted projects.

As a result of the approval of the 13 projects, 26 schools will benefit from a safer and less polluted environment. Other street schools are currently in the test phase.

On such streets, vehicular traffic will be banned during school hours. “The air will be purer, they will be quieter, and the areas will be safer,” the Brussels Secretary of State for Road Safety, Bianca Debaets (Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams, CD&V) explained.

The call for projects is not limited to streets. Municipalities can also apply for funding to make the areas around schools safer with modest adjustments to infrastructure, such as speed bumps or panels showing a driver’s speed. Such initiatives to improve road safety are planned for 17 streets around 27 schools.

“More needs to be done,” noted Brussels Mobility Minister Pascal Smets (Socialistische Partij – anders (sp.a), listing modifications such as installing protected pedestrian crossings and clear bicycle paths,  and improving pavements.

Oscar Schneider

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