5,000 sign petition in support of Good Move traffic plans

As the debate surrounding Brussels’ mobility plan Good Move intensifies, with opponents making threats of violence against politicians and staging protests that turned violent, supporters of the effort are now making their voices heard.

A petition in support of the mobility initiative has garnered more than 5,000 signatures.

Using the hashtag ‘WeLoveGoodMove’, the petition was initiated by residents who “want to give Good Move a chance”, citing the environmental and safety benefits that reduced car traffic in parts of the capital will bring.

“Good Move is one of those too-rare ambitious plans, and is therefore of course a source of much anguish,” said Grégoire Legrain, who created the petition.

“Those who shout against change always get more attention than the others.”

Legrain believes the city risks “losing another 15 years, quite simply”, if Brussels’ traffic and safety problems are not addressed because of a fear of the plan’s opponents.

This has already occurred in some neighbourhoods, which have suspended implementation of the plan in the face of what defenders call “a vocal minority”.

Legrain believes these opponents are shortsighted. “What kind of city do we want to live in tomorrow?” he asked. “The status quo is impossible.”

The turbulent rollout of the Good Move plan remains the subject of many city council meetings, some of which have degenerated into shouting and threats of physical violence against council members.

At a meeting in Brussels-City on Monday, Le Soir reports, the tone was not much different.

Mustapha Chanuf and Younes El Abdi, two residents of the Marolles district, initially brought complaints to mayor Philippe Close (PS) and the alderman for mobility back in October.

These were brought up again, with talk about the unsuitability of pedestrian crossings or charging stations for electric cars in parking locations for people with reduced mobility.

They demanded that the entire plan be abandoned, or, at the very least, for each and every inhabitant of Brussels to be consulted on it.

When alderman Bart Dhondt (Groen) said in his response that air quality was everyone's concern, including those present and their relatives, it provoked a strong and negative reaction from opponents.