Geraardsbergen (The Brussels Morning Newspaper): A new bike-sharing program in Dender and Flemish Ardennes, launched by Hoppy, has 1,500 users and 8,500 rides. Hélène De Meester highlights its affordability and ease of use.
Last month, a new bike-sharing program started in the Dender and Flemish Ardennes areas to encourage eco-friendly travel. This project is a partnership between Flanders and 22 local towns to improve transportation for people living there and visitors. The bikes, provided by a Belgian company called Hoppy, are easy to use and great for short trips, making it simple for everyone to choose cycling as a way to get around.
What are the benefits of the new bike-sharing program in Geraardsbergen?
It has been said that users can rent bikes using a mobile app that shows bike availability and allows secure payments. This program aims to reduce traffic and promote healthier, eco-friendly commuting. As the system grows, there are plans to connect it more with public transport to make cycling easier for everyone. Hélène De Meester from Hoppy talks about the new bike-sharing program, highlighting that it is easy to use and affordable. The goal is to make it simple for both locals and visitors to access bikes.
According to Hélène De Meester from Hoppy, there is a good mix of tourist trips and daily commutes, showing that the bikes meet different needs. Hoppy has noticed that in the Denderstreek and Flemish Ardennes areas, people often use bikes for longer trips, while in Genk, where they also operate, the bikes are used more for short rides. This shows that the bikes help with local commuting, tourism, and longer recreational rides.
Geraardsbergen has almost 1,800 bike rides, making it the most popular place for shared bikes. This happened because the city added more bikes to meet high demand, which helped them lead in bike usage. In total, both regions have over 1,500 users, with 8,500 rides and over 50,000 kilometers traveled.
