The region of Flanders, Belgium, is promoting inclusive mobility with Basisbereikbaarheid. Our project coordinator Mpact shares a message on the concept, as well as SMALL's own role in crafting inclusive solutions. Read more below!
Have you heard of the concept of basisbereikbaarheid in Flanders Belgium?
SMALL is working on a regulatory framework analysis on inclusive shared mobility, led by our partners from POLIS. This is a visually strong and comprehensive overview of regulations that will support shared mobility to become accessible to all. One of the regulations that will be part of the analysis, is the concept of 'Basisbereikbaarheid' (Basic Accessibility) from Flanders, Belgium. The concept is a new approach in Flanders to ensure sustainable, multimodal and efficient transportation for all, that started back in January this year.
Basisbereikbaarheid is composed of three main pillars:
- Accessible multimodality through Hoppinpunten. Hoppinpunten is the Flemish translation of Mobility hubs. One of the conditions of basisbereikbaarheid is that the entire public space of the Hoppinpunten, including its services, are fully accessible are fully accessible to all.
- The Flemish public transport provider, De Lijn, aims to adjust their bus lanes to focus more on the busier lanes and reduce their losses from the less crowded lanes. These adjusted bus lanes are complemented with the Flexbus service, a more on-demand form of De Lijn that provides a more flexible travel option from stop to stop.
- Shared mobility to complement public transport services: besides the Flexbus service, shared mobility solutions will be provided to complement the adjustments in the bus lanes. These services will be provided at a Hoppinpunt.
We asked our Belgian partners from Mpact for their opinion on this new concept that has created a lot of reaction in Flanders:
As Mpact, we hear the commotion on this concept and the impact that it has for the everyday bus-user. But first, we should also be aware of the fact that De Lijn is supposed to provide their services with less resources than previously. More sustainable investments are needed for De Lijn so they can operate basisbereikbaarheid as effectively as possible. Besides that, basisbereikbaarheid is a living concept that is being rolled out in phases. The example of the Flexbus is a first step towards an even more on-demand version of transport that will be activated in the future, namely Flexplus that will provide door to door transport for people with reduced mobility. And this is where shared mobility and SMALL come in the picture.
At Mpact, we totally agree that shared mobility should complement the public transport services. This means shared mobility should be implemented in such ways so that it's not replacing public transport/buses. Previously, this vision was visualized in a ‘Mobility Pyramid’ in the Interreg Share-North project. However, for this to happen, things need to change in the shared mobility world overall. One crucial aspect of our work in SMALL is focusing on the profiles of the everyday bus travelers, particularly families with children, the elderly, and people with physical impairments. By understanding their unique needs and challenges, we can tailor shared solutions to provide inclusive and seamless transportation experiences for all. Through co-creation efforts, SMALL is collaborating with various stakeholders to design shared transportation solutions that truly meet the needs of different user groups. Moreover, our pilots are working diligently to overcome digital barriers, ensuring that everyone has equal access to shared transportation information and services.