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The Impact of the Extension of the Pedestrian Zone in The THE IMPACT OF THE EXTENSION OF THE PEDESTRIAN ZONE IN THE CENTRE OF BRUSSELS ON MOBILITY, ACCESSIBILITY AND PUBLIC SPACE Imre Keserü, Mareile Wiegmann, Sofie Vermeulen, Geert te Boveldt, Ewoud Heyndels & Cathy Macharis VUB-MOBI – BSI-BCO Original Research EN Since 2015, the Brussels pedestrian zone has been extended along boulevard Anspach. What impact did this have on travel and visiting behaviour, the perceived accessibility of the centre, and the quality of its public space? Brussel Mobiliteit (Brussels Capital Region) commissioned a large-scale follow-up survey to VUB-MOBI & the BSI-BCO to answer this question and monitor the effects before and after the renewal works. Brussels Metropolitan Area (BMA) inhabitants, city-centre employees and pedestrian zone visitors were questioned. This paper presents the most important findings from the 4870 respondents of the pre-renewal survey. A more detailed analysis will be available in the full research report (forthcoming, VUB-MOBI – BSI-BCO & Brussel- Mobiliteit). In general, more respondents were in support of a car-free Blvd Anspach than against it. Most visitors go to the new pedestrian zone for leisure-related purposes. Overall, the users are also mostly regular visitors, including inhabitants of the city centre and other Brussels inhabitants. In terms of appreciation of public space, the most problematic aspects are cleanliness and safety concerns whether during the day or by night. Furthermore, 36% of the BMA respondents stated that the closure for cars has influenced their choice of transport when going to the city-centre. Many of them use public transport more often. Lastly, the authors put forward recommendations to improve the pedestrian zone considering the survey’s results. FR Depuis 2015, la zone piétonne bruxelloise s'étend le long du boulevard Anspach. Quel impact cela a-t-il sur les pratiques de mobilité et les raisons de la visite, sur la satisfaction en termes d’'accessibilité du centre-ville et sur la qualité de l'espace public? Bruxelles Mobilité (Région de Bruxelles-Capitale) a chargé la VUB-MOBI et le BSI-BCO d’aborder ces questions par le biais d’une enquête de suivi à grande échelle, avant et après les réaménagements. Les résidents de la zone métropolitaine (BMA), les employés ayant un emploi dans le centre- ville et les visiteurs de la nouvelle zone piétonne ont été interrogés. Cette contribution présente les résultats les plus importants obtenus auprès des 4870 répondants de la première enquête (avant redéploiement). Une analyse plus détaillée sera disponible dans l'étude complète (à paraître, VUB MOBI - BSI BCO et Bruxelles Mobilité). Nous soulignons, qu’en général, la majorité des répondants étaient en faveur d'un boulevard Anspach piéton plutôt que contre. La plupart des visiteurs se rendent dans la nouvelle zone piétonne à des fins de loisirs. La plupart des visiteurs se rendent régulièrement dans le centre-ville, en particulier les résidents du centre-ville et ceux habitant les autres communes de la Région de Bruxelles-Capitale. En termes d’appréciation de l’espace public, les visiteurs indiquent que les points le moins satisfaisants sont la propreté de l'espace public et leur sentiment de sécurité de jour comme de nuit. En outre, 36% des habitants de la région métropolitaine (BMA) interrogés ont déclaré que la zone piétonne affectait leur choix de mode de transport lorsqu'ils se rendaient vers et dans le centre-ville. Beaucoup d'entre eux ont indiqué qu’ils ont utilisé les transports en commun plus souvent qu’avant. Enfin, les auteurs proposent des recommandations pour améliorer le piétonnier, sur base des résultats de l'enquête. 133 BSI-BCO _ PORTFOLIO #2 _ ZOOM IN | ZOOM OUT ON THE BRUSSELS CITY CENTRE NL Sinds 2015 breidde de Brusselse voetgangerszone uit langsheen de Anspachlaan. Welke impact heeft dit op mobiliteitspraktijken en de redenen van bezoek, de tevredenheid rond de bereikbaarheid van het stadscentrum en de kwaliteit van de openbare ruimte? Brussel Mobiliteit (Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest) gaf opdracht aan VUB-MOBI en BSI-BCO om deze effecten in kaart te brengen door middel van een grootschalige follow-up survey, voor en na de heraanleg. Bewoners van de metropolitane zone (BMA), werknemers met een job in het stadscentrum en bezoekers van de nieuwe voetgangerszone werden bevraagd. Deze bijdrage stelt de belangrijkste resultaten voor van de 4870 respondenten van de 1ste survey (vóór heraanleg). Een meer gedetailleerde analyse zal beschikbaar zijn in het volledige onderzoeksrapport (te verschijnen, VUB-MOBI – BSI-BCO & Brussel-Mobiliteit). Over het algemeen waren meer respondenten voorstander van een autovrije Anspachlaan dan tegenstander. De meeste bezoekers gaan naar het nieuwe voetgangersgebied voor vrijetijdsgerelateerde doeleinden. De meeste bezoekers bezoeken het stadscentrum regelmatig, zeker de inwoners van het stadscentrum en andere Brusselaars wonend in het gewest. Bezoekers geven aan dat ze het minst tevreden zijn over de netheid van de openbare ruimte en voelen zich minder veilig zowel overdag als 's nachts. Bovendien verklaarde 36% van de BMA-respondenten dat de autovrije zone hun vervoerskeuze heeft beïnvloed wanneer ze het stadscentrum bezoeken. Velen van hen gebruikten vaker het openbaar vervoer. Ten slotte geven de auteurs aanbevelingen om de voetgangerszone te verbeteren, op basis van de resultaten van de enquête. 134 The impact of the extension of the pedestrian zone in the centre of Brussels on mobility, accessibility and public space 5. What is their perception of the interventions Introduction in the public space of the newly On 29 June 2015 boulevard Anspach (Blvd pedestrianised area? Anspach) and several adjacent streets (the 6. How has the perception of the public space of central boulevards) were closed for motorised the newly pedestrianised area changed? traffic as part of the plan to extend the pedestrian 7. How do the above variables vary according area in the centre of Brussels. Due to the lack of a to different socio-demographic variables and comprehensive monitoring scheme, many place of residence? stakeholders have questioned the credibility and accuracy of the data published regarding the To answer these research questions, a impact of the scheme, referred to as “the longitudinal survey has been set up with two piétonnier” [Keserü et al., 2016; Vanhellemont survey moments. The first one was carried out in and Vermeulen, 2016]. Since mobility was one of spring 2017 and a second one will be organised 6 the most controversial areas of impact and data months after the construction works are was unavailable to confirm the different claims completed (estimated in 2019). Since no baseline about those impacts, a large-scale survey has survey was conducted before the new traffic been commissioned by the Cabinet of the circulation plan came into effect in June 2015, Minister for Mobility and Public Works and there is only fragmented data available on the Brussels Mobility to monitor the impact of the situation before the extension of the pedestrian pedestrianisation project on travel behaviour zone. This survey aims to overcome this problem and the appreciation of the new pedestrian area. by asking respondents not only about their The survey aims to provide a comprehensive current behaviour and opinions, but by also monitoring of the impact of the Brussels making a comparison with the situation prior to pedestrian zone on the travel behaviour of users the pedestrianisation (retrospective survey) of the area and how they perceive and appreciate (figure 1). the accessibility of the area, the functioning and design of the public space and the built The survey focuses on three target groups (T1, environment. The following research questions T2 & T3) representing the users of the new have been addressed: pedestrian zone: 1. What is the current travel behaviour of the • T1: Residents of the Brussels 1 Brussels Metropolitan Area (BMA) Metropolitan Area (BMA) , i.e. inhabitants, the employees of the city centre “metropolitan residents” and the visitors of the city centre and the • T2: Employees working at a company or central boulevards who use the other organisation that is located in or pedestrianised area? near the pedestrian zone; i.e. within the 2. How has the travel behaviour and modal Pentagon irrespective of their residential choice of visitors of the city centre and the address; i.e. “employees in the city-centre” pedestrian zone been influenced by the • T3: Visitors of the ‘new’ pedestrian zone introduction of the pedestrianised area (in (i.e. boulevard Anspach and some adjacent combination with changes in public streets which are located within the transport and parking facilities)? perimeter of the requested planning 3. What is the visitors’ degree of satisfaction permissions of the extension of the with regards to accessibility of the Brussels pedestrianised areas), irrespective of their city centre and the newly pedestrianised residential address, i.e. “visitors of the area? piétonnier/pedestrian zone” 4. How has the perception of the accessibility of the city centre changed? 1 The Brussels Metropolitan Area includes the 19 Steenokkerzeel, Zaventem, Kortenberg, Kraainem, municipalities within the Brussels Capital Region Wezenbeek-Oppem, Tervuren, Bertem, Overijse, (BCR) and 33 surrounding municipalities1, i.e. the first Huldenberg, Hoeilaart, St Genesius-Rode, Linkebeek, Brussels periphery (‘de eerste rand’) as defined by the Beersel, Drogenbos, Halle, Sint-Pieters-leeuw, Lennik, IRIS-1 regional mobility plan [Brussels Capital Region, Dilbeek, Ternat, Asse, Merchtem, Wemmel, Meise, 1997]: Grimbergen, Vilvoorde, Machelen, Braine-le-Château, Ittre, Braine-l’Alleud, Waterloo, Lasne, La Hulpe, Rixensart. 135 BSI-BCO _ PORTFOLIO #2 _ ZOOM IN | ZOOM OUT ON THE BRUSSELS CITY CENTRE Figure 1: Milestones of the pedestrianisation project and the surveys The aim of this paper is to outline the most reach persons who have not visited the city important findings of the first survey that took centre since 2015 and ask them about their place in Spring 2017. The detailed analysis will be reasons for not visiting.
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