Leuven brings in fine for poorly-parked bikes
The City of Leuven is to introduce fines for cyclists that don’t park their bikes properly. In the new list of local by-laws that has just been published a fine of 55 euro is quoted for “awkwardly and dangerously-parked bicycles.” Previously, a fine a 5 or 10 euros was levied on cyclists whose bike had had to be removed by police as it was causing an obstruction.
The city authorities in Leuven have been working hard to tackle the issue of dangerously or obstructively-parked bicycles. For some years now, it has been forbidden to park bikes on the Martelarenplein in front of Leuven railway station and on the city’s Grote Markt, Rector De Somerplein and Benedenplein.
The sign saying that there is a parking ban for bikes was recently declared illegal by a court judge. In the new list of by-laws the sign is replaced by a sign that does comply with the rules.
The number of parking spaces for bicycles in Leuven has increased dramatically in recent years. 1,600 spaces have been created in the area around the railway station alone.