Mortsel (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Mortsel renovated Stadsplein underground garage to add 436 bicycle spaces (including 60 for cargo bikes), with Tim Robaye highlighting the need for more parking before the City Hall reopening in November 2025.
AS VRT News reported, the city of Mortsel, in the province of Antwerp, Belgium, is increasing bicycle parking in the city centre. The city has now renovated the first floor (-1) to create 436 new bicycle parking spaces. The renovation comes ahead of the reopening of City Hall in November 2025. It will house all city staff and open public spaces, including a new library, a city café, and a multipurpose hall.
“More space is needed for shopping centre visitors, train users and residents.”
Tim Robaye (Green Forward), Alderman for Spatial Planning in Mortsel
How is Mortsel expanding bicycle parking ahead of the City Hall reopening?
Tim Robaye, Mortsel’s Alderman for Spatial Planning, said the city urgently needs more bicycle spaces.
“City Hall will attract a lot of cyclists. All our current bicycle parking is full every day,”
He said. He added that more parking is needed for shopping centre visitors, train users, and residents.
The first floor (-1) of Mortsel’s underground parking garage at Stadsplein will offer 436 bicycle parking spaces, including 60 spaces specifically for cargo bikes. City officials say cargo bikes take up a lot of room on the streets, so the underground garage provides a safe place to park them. The floor will also include 12 short-term parking spaces. Visitors can use these spaces free of charge for up to 30 minutes.
Tim Robaye said,
“Some of the bicycle parking will be in a closed space for rent, and spaces will also be reserved for city staff, but the majority will become a public bicycle parking facility.”
The renovated floor will also support shared and electric mobility. There will be 6 spaces for Cambio car-sharing vehicles and 8 parking spots with electric car charging stations.
“There will still be more than enough parking space in the underground parking garage,”
The alderman assures.
“On the second floor (-2), there’s room for people who drive to shop, visit the weekly market, and rely on their car for transportation.”
The underground parking garage at Stadsplein has been part of Mortsel’s city centre since the early 2000s. In July 2025, the city officially took ownership of the garage and immediately began renovating the first floor (-1) to add more bicycle spaces and update the facilities.
