Bruges (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Starting October 1, 2025, Bruges will expand its bicycle zone to 87 km, giving cyclists priority. Mayor Dirk De Fauw intends to enhance safety, slow down car speeds, and induce sustainable urban mobility.
According to VRT News, from October 1st 2025 on, Bruges will expand its city centre bicycle zone. Cyclists will get priority in these zones over all other vehicles. Cars, buses, and delivery trucks have to slow to a maximum of 30 km/h and keep behind bicycles. The expansion will increase the total length of bicycle streets in the city to 87 kilometres.
Mayor Dirk De Fauw (CD&V):
“That’s the highest number of kilometres of bicycle streets in all of Belgium. We’re making Bruges even more the cycling city it already is. There are already many bicycle streets not only in the city center, but also in the surrounding districts. The safety of our cyclists is very important.”
What streets are included in Bruges’ expanded 87 km city centre bicycle zone?
Bruges will bar some streets from the proposed extension of its city centre cycling zone. This is necessary to maintain access to the city centre and make public transport smooth, according to officials.
The city wishes to have safer cycling while keeping cars, buses, and emergency vehicles moving. Officials emphasise that intelligent planning is required to safeguard cyclists without hindering principal routes for citizens, tourists, and deliveries.
The streets that will not be part of the expanded bicycle network include:
- Ezelstraat
- Langestraat
- Gentpoortstraat
- Katelijnestraat-Mariastraat
- Vlamingdam
- Sint-Jorisstraat
- Walweinstraat – Julius
- Maurits Sabbestraat
- Langerei
- Kazernevest
- Predikherenrei,
- Gruuthusestraat – Diver – Rozenhoedkaai – Braambergstraat – Predikherenstraat.
City officials say this plan ensures the historic city centre stays cyclist-friendly, safe, and fully accessible.
In Ghent, a new traffic plan in 2017 reduced car access in the city centre and expanded bicycle zones. Antwerp has introduced bicycle streets and low-traffic zones where cars must reduce speed and yield to cyclists. Leuven and Mechelen have also prioritised streets for cyclists to improve safety and traffic flow.
