News

The City of Antwerp aims to encourage the use and combination of sustainable modes of transportation by establishing smart mobility hubs or mobipoints. Signage will be installed at specific mobility hubs, where various modes of transportation will be gathered, along with additional facilities to make the locations recognizable as transfer points or smart hubs for users. Starting today, the city will provide the first signage at two trial locations, the Mediaplein in the Antwerp district and the Bist in Wilrijk.

The Antwerp Transport Region, the City of Antwerp, and the districts are collaborating to roll out an efficient network of smart hubs. Through joint efforts, approximately 130 locations have been identified across the city’s territory. In a later phase, smart hubs will also be implemented in the surrounding municipalities.

In the initial phase, five trial locations will be developed. The Bist in Wilrijk and the Mediaplein are the first to receive signage. Subsequently, signage will be installed at Operaplein, Olympiade, and Antwerpen-Centraal.

Koen Kennis, Alderman for Mobility, stated, “Combining various modes of transportation often leads to quicker and easier travel to one’s destination. The key is ensuring that the entire infrastructure and mode mix align. For this reason, we are investing in deploying a dense network of smart hubs.”

Uniform and Recognizable Signage

To reduce the barrier to transfers and inform travelers of the available services, each hub will have clear and uniform signage. These signs will display:

• Bus, tram, and metro lines;
• Shared mobility options;
• Charging infrastructure;
• Additional facilities such as secure bike parking and lockers.

Currently, only analog signs are used. In a later phase, digital signs providing real-time information on public transportation, shared mobility, and traffic updates will be added. These digital signs will be implemented with support from the European Union through the SPINE Horizon project.

The signage will be placed along the pedestrian routes between different modes of transportation/services. Nine locations will have signage on the Bist, while five will have signage on the Mediaplein.

Smart Hub Setup

By better organizing mobility hubs, bringing various modes of transportation closer together, and adding extra services, user comfort will increase. All locations with bus and tram platforms will be made fully accessible. Additionally, bike facilities will be expanded to include features such as electric bike charging stations and secure bike parking.

Later this spring, a secure bike parking facility will be opened at the Bist. Travelers will be able to park their bikes for free for one day to transfer to other modes of transportation. Additionally, tactile guiding lines for people with visual impairments and extra bike signage will be added.

At the Mediaplein smart hub, only tactile guiding lines will be added at the bus stop on Pelikaanstraat. Cyclists can park their bikes in the existing bike parking facility under the Mediaplein.

Hoppin

At the Flemish level, mobility hubs are referred to as Hoppin points. Over the next few years, such points will be established in all cities and municipalities in Flanders. Hoppin pillars with traveler information will be installed at the Bist and Mediaplein smart hubs.

More information about the smart hubs can be found at www.slimnaarantwerpen.be.