Nine new or expanded ‘mobihubs’ for Flanders
A mobihub will be popping up in many cities and towns across Flanders, bundling transport options in one place and offering other services
European funding
Mobihubs are located at or near existing transport hubs such as train stations. The idea is to make it easier for residents to use alternative forms of transport to the car, and especially in linking different modes of transport. Not all mobihubs are the same; while one might offer a bike repair service, for instance, another will offer scooter-share parking.
Three of the new or expanded sites are in West Flanders – Ypres, Diksmuide and Veurne – and six are in Flemish Brabant. Those are Asse, Zemst, Haacht, Wezembeek-Oppem, Sint-Genesius Rode and Vilvoorde.
The services will be tailored to meet the needs of the local site, explained Crevits. In Ypres, for example, the former freight depot will be transformed into a park-and-ride and cycle repair shop, with package pick-up and drop-off lockers. Veurne already has a mobipunt, but it will be expanded to include car-share parking, cycle racks and electric charging stations.
The ultimate goal is to encourage people to use sustainable methods of transport
“Mobipunten make it easier to move between different modes of transportation,” said Crevits. “The ultimate goal is to encourage people to use sustainable methods of transport, like public transport, car-shares and bike sharing.”
The nine new hubs will cost a total of €4.25 million, all of which is coming from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The fund put out a call last year for mobihub project proposals, and the nine sites in Flanders were chosen from the batch.
“I’m glad that the ERDF has chosen to support these project from the Westhoek and in the belt around Brussels,” said Crevits. “There are few alternatives to the car in the Westhoek. And the projects in the Flemish belt fit the ‘as little hindrance as possible’ strategy perfectly when it comes to the planned works on the Brussels ring road.”
Mobihubs in Flanders are realised by a partnership among Taxistop, Autodelen.net and Infopunt Publieke Ruimte, with support from the Flemish and municipal governments. These nine will bring the total number of mobihubs in Flanders to 50.
But the partnership is ambitious: The goal is to have 1,000 planned, under construction or built by the end of 2022.
Photo: A mobihub in Deinze, East Flanders
©Courtesy Stad Deinze/Mobipunt
