These decisions were motivated by higher rates of vandalism (4 times as high as elsewhere) in the communes of Anderlecht, Molenbeek, Koekelberg and in the area of Laeken. It appears that locks were broken. Also, bikes would disappear but were recovered with the police’s help. The maintenance staff was assaulted as well.

The American company has reached out to the communes’ authorities and to Brussels Mobility to find a solution.

The region’s Villo! also faces numerous thefts yearly (300/year), of which 80% are retrieved, but they have never closed down stations for that reason.

The scooter company, Felyx, had to take back their vehicles near the Atomium and in Laeken. Their spokesperson mentioned safety as the reason behind the action.

The post No more Jump bikes and Felyx scooters in certain Brussels areas appeared first on Brussels Express.

In the current state of things, tax payers are submitted to a steady annual tax, which doesn’t take into account the way people use their cars. The new tax should factor in the time at which the driver uses their car, as well as the type of car that they drive.

A set of cameras that are already implemented in the low emission zone (LEZ) will serve as a means of control. Subsequently, a question arises: will the zone be limited to the region in its entirety? It could eventually be restricted to the Pentagon or the European quarter.

Ideally, this plan should follow suit in a period of 5 years in Brussels, according to Elke Van den Brandt. As of July, the initiative had been proposed in the declaration of policy for the Brussels region.

The post Minister of Mobility proposes new intelligent kilometer tax in Brussels appeared first on Brussels Express.

The data showed that the quality of IT infrastructure and the provided support in Brussels is particularly appreciated (87%), whereas other big innovating centres came out with lower results. Amsterdam and Zurich (both ranking at 93%) do prove to be more convenient for starting a business, while Oslo (97%) and Stockholm (100%) rank first in this area.

A few challenges have yet to be overcome by the newly implemented companies, such as building a clientele, recruiting qualified personnel and accessing to capital. Only then can the Belgian capital be recognised as a entrepreneurship-starting centre on an international scale.

Far from them the idea to relocate their activities to an other country, as stated by 9 out of 10 (87%) of new entrepreneurs. This percentage far exceeds the European average of 59%.

This study was carried out by ‘European Start-up Survey and conducted by the consultancy agency PwC.

The post New entrepreneurs find Brussels more attractive than London, Paris or Berlin appeared first on Brussels Express.

The Netherlands will invest 200 million euros to acquire 18 trains from the French group Alstom. The high speed line will be exploited starting in 2021, replacing the line that had been operated for a couple years after the Fyra fiasco.

Following many technical incidents and countless delays, these trains were forbidden to run in Belgium. A parliamentary inquiry was conducted in the Netherlands, which resulted in a loss of 67 millions euros for NS.

Thus, there will now exist a new competitor for the rail company Thalys on the Brussels-Amsterdam connection. Thalys remains, however, the only one to operate a high speed line between Paris and Brussels.

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As reported by MIT Technology Review, researchers from the North Carolina State University found that scooters produce more greenhouse-gas emissions per rider per mile, contrary to what is advertised by the companies who offer their rental services.

The results of this study showed that they produce 202 g of CO2 per rider per mile, whereas a petrol engine produces 415. The comparison is striking if you look at a diesel bus’s production: 82g of CO2/rider/mile, 40g for an electric bike and 8g for a regular bike.

For the calculations, the researchers also took into account the scooter’s materials: the lithium battery, the aluminum structure, the electric motor. Not only that, but there’s also the emissions of the transport of scooters by diesel-fueled vehicles, which is responsible for 43% of the CO2 emissions of electric scooters. Their very short life span (28.8 days and not the theoretical 2 years – 2018 data collected by Bird in Louisville, Kentucky) contributes to the their carbon footprint as well.

A few small changes might help make scooters a lot more climate-friendly: using vehicles that produce less CO2 for transport; reducing the distance between charging and pick-up points : only collecting scooters that need charging; using more sustainable materials for production. The initiatives could help the carbon imprint drop by 30%, by extending the scooters’ life span.

The recipe for a greener scooter requires two key ingredients: better management of the existing fleet and better awareness of the consumers.

The post Electric scooters produce more carbon emissions than a diesel-fueled bus or an electric bike appeared first on Brussels Express.

The national record was broken yesterday afternoon in Kleine-Brogel – close to the Dutch border in the North-East of Belgium, where temperatures reached 38.9°C.

At 3pm this Wednesday, the Uccle station (Brussels) of the IRM picked up an hourly figure of 35.5 degrees.

One should expect Thursday to be even hotter. A sunny sky but stormy showers should not be excluded. With an overwhelming heat, the highest temperatures will rise to 38 or 39 degrees, 40 in some places.

Belgium is on red alert due to the heatwave. This alert applies to the entire territory – except for the coast – starting at midnight on Tuesday until midnight on Saturday. A few recommendations to stay safe: stay hydrated, prefer salty foods, rest, a cool room, use damp towels in case of dehydration, and avoid any direct exposure to the sun.

As a result, the Midi Fair will open at 5 p.m. – instead of 3 p.m. – this Thursday and Friday, announced the City of Brussels.

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