Brussels: A greener, friendlier city that can breathe

A car-free Sunday every month for the 19 Brussels communes !

Through this petition we wish to show our support for a plan -that appears in the coalition agreement- to increase the number of car-free days. But, we wish to go further and propose "a car-free Sunday per month" because to truly have a positive effect on a city, we believe that the car-free day needs be more regular. We explain below in a few keywords.

Environment: On car-free Sunday, Brussels ceases to be the Belgian city which releases the most CO2 - giving the climate a reprieve for the day.

Health: Fine particles, which cause respiratory diseases, are the most harmful form of air pollution and car exhaust fumes are the reason we find them in the city air. A monthly car-free day would be a real breath of fresh air in the lives of citizens.

For our children: On car-free day, children can reclaim urban spaces - enabling these future citizens to feel good about, have positive experiences in and love their city

Sociability and neighbourliness: Car-free Sunday is an opportunity for neighbours to strike up more informal relationships, thus improving neighbourhood life and increasing the feeling of security.

Discovering public transport: A monthly car-free Sunday would be an opportunity for people to discover the available alternatives to the car - such as public transport, cycling or walking.

Pro-cycling: The lack of cycle paths, regular driver aggression against cyclists and high traffic-volume make life difficult for cyclists in Brussels. Car-free Sunday is the perfect opportunity for many of us to engage and to discover mobility by bike in town.

Recreation and Sport: On car-free days, the people of Brussels can relax more easily close to home by going for a walk or a cycle etc.

Peace and quiet: On car-free Sunday, people can also enjoy the peace that reaches our houses, thresholds and sidewalks. To experience this calm, it is important that car-free Sunday takes place in all 19 communes of Brussels and is not limited to just one commune.

Tourism: Tourists tend to come to Brussels by train or plane. Monthly car-free Sundays would be an exceptional attraction for them. It would be a boost for the hotel & catering and tourist industries alike, with regard to both foreign and Belgian tourists (domestic tourism). It would also improve the impression that those living on the outskirts of Brussels give of the city.

A model for other cities?: Why not make Brussels, capital of Europe and international city, a model of an ecological and avant-garde capital?

The counter-arguments: We know there are disadvantages to this proposal and we would like to identify these problems in an attempt to find solutions.

In conclusion: We are convinced that the positive factors outlined above would reinforce the image of Brussels as a city where life is good. Just imagine the positive impact these car-free days would have on all the other days. This proposal does not require any special infrastructure. Brussels already has 7 or 8 years experience of annual car-free days, and the organization of the monthly car-free days could use the existing model.

Car-free Sunday is all about the essential and positive aspects of urban life, which is why we ask you take our request into consideration.

The inhabitants of Brussels.