Febiac calls for Brussels-dwellers to go to work more often by motorcycle or scooter

The Belgian Federation of Automobile and Cycling (Febiac) has called for Brussels-dwellers to go to work more often by motorcycle or scooter in order to reduce traffic congestion in the Belgian capital.

Febiac issued this call in a statement released at the international event “Ride to Work Day”, which took place earlier today (Monday) in Brussels.

“Ride to Work Day” is an event that has been held every third Monday in June for 27 years. It aims to raise awareness of motorcycling among the general public, promote its benefits among employers and encourage people to consider trading their cars for motorcycles.

On congested roads in Belgium, motorcycle and scooter owners travel faster between their homes and workplaces by manoeuvring between cars. However, this manoeuvring is only allowed when the average speed of cars is less than 50 km/h and the speed difference between the motorcycles/scooters and the cars does not exceed 20 km/h.

Currently, not all motorcycle or scooter owners use their motorcycles or scooters to get to work due to the fact that they consider such vehicles as essentially recreational in nature. Moreover, while users of a company car are often reimbursed by their employers for the costs incurred while commuting, a person who commutes using a motorcycle or scooter usually has to personally assume the costs of getting to and from work. Faced with this situation, Febiac has recommended that people who commute using motorcycles or scooters should also receive a “mobility budget” from their employers.

Febiac has also encouraged employers to take measures to support the use of motorcycles and scooters, such as the introduction of special motorcycle/scooter parking spaces and lockers to store helmets.