Mobility strategy for five Flemish transport regions
The Flemish Department of Mobility and Public Works has awarded a contract to draw up regional mobility plans for the transport regions of Limburg, Mechelen, Ghent, Vlaamse Rand, and Kortrijk to a consortium consisting of Goudappel, Sweco Belgium, and The New Drive. Earlier, the consortium was awarded the regional mobility plan contract for Antwerp. The new contract involves a total sum of 3.4 million euros.
On 22 June of this year, Flanders introduced the Basic Accessibility Act. With the establishment of transport regions (a total of 15 in Flanders), regional transport councils and regional mobility plans, Flemish municipalities now have a framework they can use to cooperate and to address mobility challenges together.
Flemish transport regions
Comprehensive and complex
Danny Walraven, project manager for Goudappel: “The Goudappel /Sweco Belgium/The New Drive consortium is already working on a regional mobility plan for the Antwerp transport region. Our consortium has now won five more contracts. We've taken the lead for some of the most comprehensive and complex transport regions in Flanders. It's complex not only in technical terms but also in terms of procedure.”
This total of six transport regions means that the consortium will contribute to a future mobility strategy for 155 of 300 Flemish towns and cities with a view to improving mobility. “To help shape mobility policy in Flanders is also a great social responsibility,” says Goudappel's Pascale Willems, responsible on the consortium's behalf for setting the technical direction for the five regions.
“Co-creation and participation”
The regional mobility plan will set out a shared long-term mobility strategy for the transport region for all modes of transport. The plan will identify key mobility challenges across the region, provide a detailed blueprint of the public transport network, and present measures to improve flows, road safety, and cycling policy. “Co-creation and participation are important elements to gain support for the project and make it a success,” says Pascale Willems.
Danny Walraven: “We've put our expertise to use in Flanders before and are very confident that our consultants, as part of the consortium, will be able to contribute to a future mobility strategy for most of Flanders.”
Client: Flemish Department of Mobility and Public Works
Year: 2019-2020
Involved in this project: Danny Walraven | Pascale Willems
