Brussels seeks alternative date for second car-free Sunday

The Brussels government is looking for an alternative date for the capital’s second car-free Sunday after learning that the planned 2027 occasion falls on Mother’s Day.

Although the coalition agreement stipulates that the second car-free Sunday in Brussels will take place during the weekend of the Iris Festival from 2027 onwards, its overlap with Mother’s Day next year sparked backlash.

Possible alternatives include 2 May and 6 June, among others, but mobility minister Elke Van den Brandt (Groen) said details still needed to be finalised as dates are being considered in consultation with the various stakeholders.

The budget for Car-Free Sunday will be around the same as that for the 2025 event, which cost €150,000 in communication and awareness-raising, €310,000 to close off the region's roads and tunnels, and €350,000 for subsidising free public transport and expanding services.

Discussions will also follow with the municipalities regarding funding for activities.

While the annual event has steadily grown in popularity, mobility association Touring is opposed to adding a second occasion altogether.

The association, which tends to criticise any measure that puts limits on car traffic, said Brussels’ mobility system "doesn’t need a second symbolic car-free Sunday, but concrete solutions that work all year round - reliable public transport, better accessibility, efficient park-and-ride facilities, safer infrastructure for all road users and credible alternatives for those who currently remain dependent on their cars".

The association also criticised the initiative in the face of budget concerns, arguing that "every euro must be spent on measures that genuinely improve people's day-to-day mobility".