Flemish Minister of Mobility and Public Works Lydia Peeters launched the new subsidy 'Safe school route on municipal roads' in March and is earmarking 15 million euros for this. In the meantime, 7 local authorities have already submitted a subsidy application to make 15 school routes safer together, worth 814.547,68 euros. Unsafe intersections and unsafe bicycle routes are frequent complaints from cyclists and the reason why parents do not let their children go to school by bicycle.

"I want to drastically increase traffic safety in school environments and on school routes during this term of office. The first applications have been received and I am calling on all cities and municipalities to look at which school routes on municipal roads should be made safer."

Recent Numbers of the city monitor show that 39% of the inhabitants think that cycling to school is a safe way, in the center cities this is up to 40%. Flemish Minister of Mobility Lydia Peeters, together with local authorities, is focusing on safe school routes, both on regional and municipal roads. 

increased road safety

Local authorities can apply for the safe school route subsidy for projects that increase traffic safety on school routes on municipal roads through interventions that can be implemented quickly. With these subsidies, Minister Peeters wants to support municipalities in taking measures on school routes that benefit the safety of school-aged youth. The resources can be used, for example, for traffic signaling and other minor infrastructural interventions on municipal roads.

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Ghent station is overwhelmed with many cyclists every day

Municipalities can make a apply for a subsidy for projects that improve the road safety of school routes. This subsidy is aimed at measures that can be implemented quickly, such as traffic signaling and small infrastructural measures. Discover here some tips and guidelines for the subsidy application and projects in your municipality. Projects that qualify for the subsidy for safe school routes may take up to 12 months to complete. Municipalities must enter a start and end date in the application form and send an invoice within the following 3 months. 

Also read: Minister Lydia Peeters is building a bicycle bridge across the E34

Ghent is the cycling Mecca in Flanders
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