The capital goes green on Car Free Day. During Mobility Week, SNCB encourages Brussels residents to reconsider mobility in a multimodal, sustainable way.
With its highlight on active mobility, Brussels Car Free Day brings a breath of fresh air to the capital! This year, it will be held on Sunday 22 September – the last day of Mobility Week – as a way to invite residents to re-examine their modes of transport and to re-discover the capital from another perspective.
And SNCB is keen to remind travellers that, as a key element in the transition to more sustainable mobility, rail travel is a credible alternative to the private car. “SNCB wants to be the obvious choice for comfortable, sustainable mobility in Belgium, both during Mobility Week and throughout the rest of the year,” says Jihane Annane, Executive Director, Corporate Communication & Public Affairs at SNCB. And she continues: “Our aim is to achieve satisfied commuters who consider the train as a self-evident solution to their travel needs.”
SNCB in motion
“Mobility Week is an opportunity to highlight the actions we undertake throughout the year to encourage people to travel by train.” As well as providing its normal services during this seven-day period (from 16 to 22 September), SNCB also enhances its efforts to promote more active, more sustainable mobility. “For 2024, we’re planning a special campaign for Car Free Day, which we’ll be announcing in the next couple of weeks. We will also be promoting train travel through our various channels,” explains Annane.
In its communication, SNCB highlights the benefits of rail travel: a comfortable, fast – and above all sustainable – means of transport. “Recently, during the summer closure of the Brussels tunnels, and during the road works on the ring road, we reminded travellers that the train is an ideal solution for their journeys to and from the capital.” Rail passenger numbers have increased significantly in recent years, particularly at the weekend.
Sustainability and ESG
SNCB’s commitment to sustainability goes far beyond Mobility Week. By fully integrating ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) criteria into its activities, the rail company aims to position itself as a major actor in the Belgian green transition. “SNCB is carrying out an in-depth transformation to make rail travel still more sustainable,” says Annane. SNCB has set clear and significant targets for the reduction of its greenhouse gas emissions: a 15% reduction by 2027 and a 27% reduction by 2032.
To achieve these objectives, SNCB is increasing energy efficiency through initiatives such as eco-driving, investments in more environmentally friendly rolling stock and the adoption of LED lighting throughout its infrastructure, with an aim of 100% LED lighting by 2032. It is also planned to produce renewable energy using photovoltaic panels.
Inclusivity and accessibility
Beyond the environmental issues, SNCB is also engaged when it comes to the social and governance aspects. Improved accessibility to stations for disabled people is a priority, with infrastructure such as ramps, lifts and guidance systems for the visually impaired. “The number of stations offering assistance is also continuously increasing.”
This inclusive approach also extends to recruitment policies, with a view to improving diversity and inclusion within the company. “SNCB also presents itself as an inclusive company by focusing on diversity during new recruitments.”
Brussels: a multimodal capital
Multimodality – in other words the combination of several means of transport – is at the heart of SNCB’s strategy. “As a European capital, Brussels requires integrated, efficient transport solutions.” The national rail company is working to create appropriate infrastructure, particularly for cyclists, for example at Saint-Job station in Uccle, which will offer 72 bicycle parking spaces. “We want our stations to become multimodal hubs connected by bicycle, bus, tram and even car. The aim is to facilitate fluid movement between the different means of transport,” Jihane Annane concludes.
Through these initiatives, SNCB will become far more than merely a transport provider, instead establishing itself as an actor committed to constructing a sustainable future for Brussels – and for the rest of Belgium too. Its investment in multimodality and ESG criteria positions SNCB as a model of environmental and responsible mobility.
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