The first Hoppinpunt in Mechelen was officially opened on the 27th of June in the presence of Mechelen’s alderman for mobility Alexander Vandersmissen.
At a Hoppinpunt, there is a wide range of different sustainable transport modes available that visitors can easily combine. "The Hoppinpunten link all modes of transport in a convenient, accessible and efficient way and represent a new step in untangling the traffic knot and making our beautiful city more accessible," said alderman for mobility Alexander Vandersmissen.
There will be around 2000 Hoppinpunten in Flanders. "In Mechelen, we want to set up 32 Hoppinpunten that we will roll out in phases. In a first phase, there will be 7 Hoppinpunten in our city this year. In 2025, we will investigate at least 8 other locations. They are part of an extensive network of Hoppinpunten being rolled out to help travellers switch smoothly from one mode of transportation to another. We are therefore pleased to be able to develop this mobility network in our city."
At the Hoppinpunt Keerdok, visitors have many modes of transport at their disposal. Close to the E19 motorway, it offers spacious parking for 516 cars and 24 charging points including 4 fast chargers, but there are also shared cars, (electric) shared bicycles and shared scooters available. On Saturdays and shopping Sundays, a boat shuttle departs to bring visitors quickly and safely into the centre. The city centre is also easily accessible on foot via a scenic walking route. Nearby are bus stops, and at the Hoppinpunt there is also a parcel locker and a bicycle hub where you can make repairs to your bicycle or even charge your bicycle battery.
Roll-out Hoppinpunten
"After the opening of the first Hoppinpunt in Parking Keerdok, there will be other Hoppinpunten at Muizen Station and some locations in the outskirts of the city," said alderman Vandersmissen. "The station is an important mobility link, and in the outskirts of the city, residents are often more likely to use their private transport. Hoppinpunten can offer good mobility solutions here. Moreover, in this way we want to further expand the offer of, for example, shared mobility at these locations. At a later stage, we will then realize Hoppinpunten at locations where the mobility supply is already high. We want to realize at least one Hoppinpunt in every neighborhood."
The Hoppinpunten are part of a mobility transition to meet existing transport needs and provide a good alternative to private transport. They form a network of nodes where travellers can 'hop' from one mode of transport to another and are clearly identified by a purple and white Hoppin column. This should quickly raise awareness of the mobility points.
Source: City of Mechelen