According to Fietsberaad Vlaanderen, the significant investments at various policy levels are starting to pay off. According to Wout Baert, program manager of Fietsberaad Vlaanderen, cycling is becoming safer, among other things, due to the “many investments in (separated) cycle paths, more 30 km/h zones, the construction of cycle streets and zones, but also other measures. with which local authorities discourage car use.”
Despite this positive development, the number of cycling victims remains far too high, according to Baert, “with still 70 to 75 deaths per year”.
“It is of course positive that bicycle safety is improving. We must continue to work on the path we have taken,” responds Flemish Minister of Mobility Lydia Peeters. The Open VLD minister calls the bicycle “a top priority”. During this legislature, she has released 1.4 billion euros for safe and comfortable cycle paths.
According to the health calculator Modalshift (by Vito and Gezond Leven), these investments in the bicycle also yield important health benefits. The calculations speak of a health gain times seven. For example, all governments together spent 1.041 billion euros on bicycle investments in the period 2020-2023. According to the calculations, these investments would yield almost 7.5 billion euros over a period of 20 years, mainly in savings on health costs and reduced environmental costs.