14 municipalities receive funding for a safe school environmentPlaced at 10:30h in safety by Manon VerhaegenFlemish Minister for Mobility and Public Works Lydia Peeters (Open Vld) grants 14 municipalities, after submitting a file, a grant safe school environment.

"Local authorities are best placed to work with school boards to see how they can increase road safety for school-going youth. This grant helps to take measures in the immediate school environment," says Lydia Peeters.In 2019, €1546708.20 million in grants for safe school environments has already been approved. The subsidies are spread over 50 municipalities, for no less than 194 school environments. This subsidy can be applied for by local authorities for projects, which, through rapidly implementable interventions, increase road safety in school environments. Also in 2020, Minister Lydia Peeters will use these grants to support municipalities to take measures in school environments that will improve the safety of school-going youth in the immediate vicinity of the school gate. "It is a good sign that more and more municipalities are finding their way to this subsidy", says Lydia Peeters. The funds are used, among other things, to set up a school street, re-establish bicycle and footpaths, to put on markings, signage and street furniture and place Octopus poles and braces. Blankenberge: €29,062.50Brecht: €39,016.50De Panne: €31,896.01Deerlijk: €6,675,08Diksmuide: €12,404.77Ging: €10,564,08Picks: €99,732.97Kalmthout: €2,632,96Kin: €28,034.99Lendelede: €7,610,15Merksplas: €18,471.15Moerbeke: €2,057,00Mortsel: €1 6,554.50Zulte: €20,872,5010 million by 2020"I cannot stress the importance of a safe school environment and safe school routes enough," says Minister Lydia Peeters. "Children and parents should be able to travel their residential school journey in a safe way, preferably on foot or by bicycle. By 2020, the Flemish government relocated a budget of EUR 10 million at the end of last year. I reach out to every local government to see when a regional road needs to be taken. Local authorities have a direct view of what can and needs to change in their school environments." More information about the subsidy mechanism can be found at: www.vlaanderen.be/subsidies-aangemeenten-voor-het-verbeteren-van-de-verkeersveiligheid-van-schoolomgevingen.