Flanders, the northern Dutch-speaking part of Belgium, is internationally renowned for its passion for cycling. The German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung refers to it as the “heartland of cycling” (Herzkammer des Radsports). In recent years, however, Flanders has also been making significant strides in promoting cycling as a mode of transport.
The Netherlands remains, without a doubt, the most cycle-friendly country in Europe—and likely the world. A staggering 27% of all trips are made by bicycle, with Dutch citizens cycling an average of 1,065 km per year. Cycling is an integral part of daily routines for millions, whether commuting to work or school. The Dutch actively promote their cycling expertise worldwide, notably through the Dutch Cycling Embassy, an ECF member, which is a prominent presence at Velo-city conferences.
Beyond the Netherlands, Denmark has traditionally been seen as the other major cycling nation. In ECF’s 2015 Cycling Barometer, Denmark ranked first, with the Netherlands second and Sweden third. However, Denmark has since seen a decline in cycling levels, making it uncertain whether it would still top such a ranking today.
Flanders’ Ambition: Becoming THE Cycling Region
Flanders is now emerging as a serious contender. Backed by record investments in cycling infrastructure and strong cross-party political support, the region has set its sights on challenging the Netherlands. While this goal may not be achievable in the short term, Flanders’ long-term ambition is clear. The Flemish government’s 2024 coalition agreement outlines a target of reaching a 30% cycling mode share by 2040.
By comparison, the Netherlands has set a goal of increasing total kilometers cycled by 20% by 2027 (compared to 2022) but has not set a specific modal share target. Denmark currently lacks a national cycling target altogether.
Many countries set ambitious cycling goals but struggle to translate them into real progress. Flanders, however, is delivering results. Between 2014 and 2023, its cycling modal share increased from 12.5% to 19%, according to ECF member Fietsberaad. The rise in cycling kilometers is even more dramatic, largely driven by the popularity of (speed) pedelecs, which allow for longer and more frequent trips. Between 2015 and 2022, total kilometers cycled increased by 69%. In 2022, for the first time, e-bikes accounted for as many kilometers traveled as conventional bicycles—and their share continues to grow.
How is Flanders Achieving This?
To borrow a phrase from Bill Clinton: “It’s the investments, stupid.”
With €319 million in central government funding annually (€47.9 per capita), Flanders is one of Europe’s biggest investors in cycling—second only to Ireland. When additional funding from local and provincial authorities is included, total cycling investment reaches around €80 per capita, a level identified in Austria as necessary to nearly double cycling modal share.
The bulk of this funding goes toward the development of a 2,800 km supra-local cycle route network, which is now about 50% complete, according to Patrick d’Haese, the Flemish Cycling Manager. The construction of high-quality segregated cycle paths remains a challenge, but investments are also being used to create extensive bicycle zones, which consist of multiple cycling streets. The number of such streets has surged from 54 km in 2019 to 1,067 km in 2024.
Road safety remains a major issue. While the number of fatal cycling crashes unfortunately increased from 72 in 2014 to 88 in 2023, individual cycling risk has decreased by 40%—a trend not observed in the Netherlands or Denmark, according to Wout Baert from Fietsberaad.
Evolution of fatality risk for bicycle traffic
(fatalities/bn km, 3-year average)
Source: Fietsberaad 2024
Federal Support for Cycling in Belgium
Belgium’s federal government is also playing a growing role in supporting cycling. The first national cycling plan, BeCyclist 2021-2024, introduced around 50 measures from various departments. Among the most impactful has been the increase of the tax-free cycling allowance for commuters (currently €0.35 per km) and a favorable tax environment for company bike leasing.
As a result, Belgium now boasts higher average bicycle prices than the Netherlands: €3,900 for an e-bike (€2,720 in the Netherlands) and €1,557 for a conventional bike (€888 in the Netherlands), according to January 2024 data from Belgian mobility federation Traxio.
The incoming federal government, as outlined in its February 2025 coalition agreement, is committed to developing a new national cycling strategy. “We have already started working on a proposal for BeCyclist 2.0, together with our French-speaking colleagues from Gracq,” says Wies Callens from Fietsersbond Flanders, an ECF member.
At the Velo-city conference in June 2024 in Ghent, inspired by the Dutch Cycling Embassy, Belgian cycling organizations came together to form the “Belgian Cycling Alliance.” Perhaps the first glimpses of the new federal cycling plan will be showcased at their booth at Velo-city in Gdansk this year.
Data sourced from the ECF report The State of National Cycling Strategies in Europe (2024).
