Following are our final conclusions regarding mobility in Brussels:

First, in Brussels everything concerning mobility is complicated.

On one hand, there are many different kinds of means of public
transportation and the networks of those take a lot of time to understand
and get used to. On the other hand, the political structures and involved
parties in the policy-making remain as a big question mark for us even
despite several meetings during our stay. Due to the complex structure and
number of involved parties in the decision-making, it is very difficult to
make amendments to the organization of public transportation. Thus it
seems reasonable that transportation is mainly decided and organised by
one council or office. In Brussels, though, that seems quite impossible.

Second, people lack the sense of security when using public
transportation, especially during night-time.

When we conducted interviews with local inhabitants, several of them
brought out that they do not feel safe due to long waiting times and the
atmosphere of the stations. This problem can be solved by renovating
stations and shortening the intervals of public transportation. Also
putting more police officers in the city might be of some help.

Third, for people with disabilities it is rather difficult to get from one
place to another.

During our stay we found that it is very difficult for a person in a
wheelchair to move around in the city. However, the situation is far from
being perfect in other cities, including Tallinn. Apart from the
difficulties, there are also several positive things that surprised us:
people's willingness to help, organized assistance from train service
providers and the possibility to visit Atomium free of charge. Many
constructions on the streets made getting from one place to another more
complicated but we hope and believe that once they are finished moving
around also in a wheelchair will be much easier.

Fourth, the idea behind the CycloCity project is really great but the
realisation needs some modifications.

At the moment there are 23 stations in the city centre, each of which is
equipped with several bikes ready to be used. Unfortunately most of the
bikes lay unused for most of the time. With the coming of new stations and
bikes the system should gain new users. Still, due to the static nature of
the station it is important that  introduction-days  are organised. From
the interviews we concluded that many people have heard something about
the project but the are afraid or just not interested enough to get
acquainted with the system on their on. Thus, when such days with people
explaining the system in the stations are organised, the project could get
many new users and turn into a successful one that could be a good example
for other cities, including Tallinn.

Last, there are too many cars in Brussels, especially in the city centre.

Traffic congestions and cars parking on streets meant for only pedestrians
was a typical sight while walking around in the city. Continuous
investments in public transportation are a precondition for introducing a
taxing-system for people who want to use cars. How exactly the car
owners/drivers will be taxed, is up for the ones in charge to decide.
Although, it may be an unpopular decision, the number of cars in the city
has to be reduced for the environmental and economical reasons as well.

Comments

[Reactie van Facere radio team]

We are a group of disabled people in wheelchair living in Brussels and we may testify of many difficulties to move around!
Atomium is not so wheelchairs friendly as you express :
Copied from http://www.atomium.be/Article.aspx?lang=en&id=58&noback=1
Please note that with the exception of the upper sphere, which is accessible by lift, the rest of the Atomium is difficult to access for people with reduced mobility and impossible for people in a wheelchair.

as brussels citizens, we don't just need to visit the atomium! many other places and the public transports requires many constraints or are simply impossible to use. You're right to say that people are often helpful but it's not always enough... Anyway with our radio workshop we try to move and go to the city to visit places and interview people!
http://commesurdesroulettes.blogspot.com

For bikers too this city is not very pleasant!

[Reactie van nathalie]

traffic congestions may seem a good idea, but then first there will have to be some modifications on the public transport too, for instance: parking spaces near the metrostations in the outer parts of brussels (so people who live just outside brussels can park their car near the station and take the metro)
having public transport drive after midnight. During the week, there are no other alternatives than a taxi or your own car, and during the weekend there are limited night busses. most people in brussels never take the bus, and are used to the metro, so it would be better to have that during the night.

about the cyclo city project; when it was first introduced, it was too complicated, too expensive for just one ride, you had to pay with visa, and there were too few stations. a lot has changed now, and they've become slightly more userfriendly, but as you said, people just don't know. an awareness project is a good idea.