‘Cars are no longer the default’: Belgium rewrites Highway Code for 2026

The Belgian Government has finalised plans to implement an entirely new highway code that no longer treats motorists as the ‘default standard’, the Brussels Times reports. The new guidelines are a total rewrite of the existing highway code, which was written about 50 years ago and has seen over 100 amendments.

To highlight the changed priority in the new guidelines, they have been renamed. Instead of the ‘Highway Code’, it is now called the ‘Public Road Code’, which Federal Minister of Mobility Georges Gilkinet says, “reflects a paradigm shift: the motorist is no longer the default standard.”

“They no longer have monopoly on the road. We now have a Code that governs the fair sharing of public roads for all,” Gilkinet explains.

Read more: How to halve car usage in less than a decade – a tour of Gent

The updated rules are set to come into effect on 1 September 2026. This week, the text was ratified by the Belgian monarch, King Philippe, the final step for approving new legislation in Belgium.

The new text has a range of new rules that make the roads safer. There are rule changes for all modes of transport, including pedestrians, cyclists, drivers and motorcyclists. The code has been written to meet five ‘pillars’: to make roads safer for all transport modes; to rebalance the place given to each road user; to promote active mobility; to improve road safety; and to ensure clarity, consistency and legibility.

For cyclists, the rules have been relaxed in several ways to make the roads and pavements more accessible. Here are the rule changes concerning cyclists as reported by The Brussels Times:

• Cycling on the footpath is now allowed up to the age of 11 (up from 9 years old previously);
• A new sign will make the use of some bicycle paths optional. A B22 sign will permit cyclists and pedelecs to pass through red or orange lights in order to turn left (in addition to being able to turn right or go straight, provided they give way to other road users);
• Road authorities can allow bicycles on pavements if there is not enough space to construct a bicycle lane but the road is dangerous;
• A "group" of cyclists is now considered to number 10 or more members (compared to 15 previously). It should be no bigger than 100 riders (down from 150). Specific provisions apply to these groups, like being allowed to ride on the road or to ride side by side;
• Crossing an intersection diagonally is allowed when the green square traffic sign applies;
• Cyclists and other two-wheelers can now pass rows of slow-moving vehicles, such as cars stuck in a traffic jam;
• The list of equipment requirements for cyclists (lights, reflectors, brakes and bicycle bells) has been simplified and standardised.

Not every rule increases the liberties of cyclists, though. In addition to the above changes, there are new rules that protect pedestrians from cyclists and speed-pedelec riders. These include the following:

• When parking two-wheeled vehicles (bicycles, mopeds, motorcycles) on the pavement, there must always be 1.5 meters of free passage for pedestrians;
• Whether on or off the roadway, the distance between any moving vehicle and a pedestrian must be at least 1 metre and 1.5 metres outside built-up areas;
• Speed pedelecs can access pedestrian zones and play streets, but only when going at a walking pace and respecting pedestrians and other road users.

How could the highway code where you live be safer for cyclists and pedestrians? Let us know in the comments. For more of the latest, visit our general cycling news page.