Velo-city 2018 article series featuring mini interviews on plenary speakers continue with Pascal Smet, plenary speaker for the plenary: Intermodality!

Pascal Smet is the Minister of Mobility and Public Works of Brussels, Member of the VGC, responsible for Culture, Youth, Sport and City Policy and Member of COCOM, in charge of the Policy of Aid to People, Family Benefits and Movie Control.

As Minister of Mobility and Public Works, Mr. Smet aims to give full life to his dream of sustainable urban development. This implies in particular another distribution of the public space - a new equilibrium that gives more space to efficient public transport, more space for cyclists and pedestrians.

His vision consists of a city where it is good to walk and ride a bike, a city that breathes and where the quality of the air is a priority. His objectives include public spaces of quality, with more greenery, parks and trees, efficient, fast and ecological public transport, a new place for cars in the city: "sharing is caring", a city where initiatives with a human dimension are encouraged.

A quick chat with Pascal Smet:

•             What does Access to Life mean to you?

High - quality public space in the city is crucial to me. The city must be the living room for its citizens.  A place we are proud of and feel responsible for.  The key measures to achieve this are the extent to which people feel comfortable to move on foot or by bicycle, the quality of the air in which we raise our children, the number of places that are freely accessible to everyone, green in the city and the offer and accessibility of high-quality public transport. 

•             What cycling lessons are you bringing to Rio?

Brussels is a slow and complex city.  Nevertheless, we have made enormous progress in recent years to turn Brussels into a cycling city in the long term. We succeed because we have a clear vision we always stand behind, by working hard and by creating broad support among Brussels residents.  Every change is difficult, but if it is possible in complex Brussels, it can happen in many other cities.  I hope therefore to inspire people to work in their own city.  I hope therefore to inspire people to get down to work in their own city.

•             What are you looking forward to the most at Velocity 2018?

Of course I am looking forward to the plenary about Intermodality on Thursday in which I will take part myself. Intermodality is the key element in allowing people to adjust their moving behaviour and to stimulate the use of the bicycle. Furthermore, I think it is fantastic to be able to share best practices with politicians and experts from all over the world. A lot of specialists will be present, of which we can still learn a lot in Brussels in areas such as infrastructure, sensitisation and education. And of course I am also looking very much forward a lot to the Bike Parade. It gives a great feeling to cycle together, surrounded by inspiring people from all over the world. And certainly in a city like Rio. I am sure that I will get a lot of energy out of it in order to keep up the work in Brussels. 

•             What do you think is the added value of a global interdisciplinary approach to cycling?

Our future lies in cities and these cities often have a lot more in common than we might think at first sight.  In many cities around the world we are at a tipping point. Citizens raise the alarm about the public space in their city. They no longer accept that clean air, beautiful squares, safe streets and more city greens seem to be part of a utopia. The awareness is growing and cities are increasingly becoming places where the people, the residents, are central and the car obtains a secondary role. I am sure that we will strengthen and accelerate this process worldwide by combining these many progressive forces. 

•             What will you visit by bike in Rio?

I am very much looking forward to coming back to Rio. A part of my heart lies in this fantastic city. I will definitely visit the district Lagoa by bike.

The Intermodality Plenary is scheduled for Day 3 of Velo-city 2018; Tuesday 14^th June 2018 at 09.00-10.00.

More mini interviews on plenary speakers: Carolina Tohá, Eliana Riggio, Murilo Casagrande and Cadu Ronca, Olatunji Oboi Reed, Thiago Hérick de Sá.

More on the Velo-city 2018 Programme here.

Registrations are now open! Register now here.

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