A plan unfolding in Brussels, the heart of the European Union, to ban bicycles and scooters from its main pedestrian zone is sending ripples far beyond Belgium, raising a question Nairobi’s own city planners cannot afford to ignore: who truly owns the street?

The proposed ban in Brussels' bustling 'Le Piétonnier' zone is a response to rising conflicts between fast-moving riders and pedestrians. This dilemma—pitting green transport against pedestrian safety—serves as a cautionary tale for Nairobi, a city grappling with its own ambitious, yet fraught, journey towards creating safe, non-motorized transport (NMT) corridors.

In Brussels, officials are moving to restrict bikes and scooters from the city's central pedestrian boulevard for most of the day, allowing them only between 4 a.m. and 11 a.m. Anaïs Maes, the city counsellor for urban planning, noted that a 6km/h speed limit for cyclists was routinely ignored, creating safety risks. "I’ve heard multiple persons say, especially older persons or persons with little kids... they don’t feel safe," she explained, citing complaints and minor accidents.

The move has been slammed as "dangerous and absurd" by cycling advocates, who argue that alternative routes are unsafe and that the ban punishes all cyclists for the actions of a few.

A Familiar Challenge for Nairobi

The conflict in Brussels mirrors the daily reality on Nairobi's streets. While the city has made strides in creating pedestrian walkways and cycle lanes, these spaces are often fiercely contested. The defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) invested in NMT corridors on key arteries like Kenyatta Avenue, but enforcement remains a significant hurdle.

Nairobi's challenge is compounded by the ubiquitous boda boda sector. Riders frequently mount pavements and newly built walkways to escape the city's notorious traffic, creating a hazardous environment for pedestrians. This constant friction undermines the very purpose of creating safe walking zones.

Key issues facing Nairobi's NMT ambitions include:

• Infrastructure Gaps: Despite a 2015 policy making NMT facilities mandatory for new roads, many areas lack safe, continuous, and well-maintained infrastructure.
• Encroachment: Pedestrian walkways are often taken over by hawkers and boda boda riders, forcing people onto the main road and into harm's way.
• Safety Concerns: Pedestrians and cyclists are the most vulnerable road users, accounting for a staggering majority of traffic fatalities in the capital. The poor driving culture of many motorists further endangers them.

Finding a Balance Before a Ban

The situation in Brussels—a city that successfully transformed its centre from a car park to a pedestrian haven over decades—shows that even well-intentioned green policies can have unintended consequences. For Nairobi, the lesson is clear: building infrastructure is only the first step. Creating a culture of shared respect, backed by consistent enforcement, is the real challenge.

As Nairobi continues its urban renewal under the current county government, the debate in Brussels is a timely reminder. Before Nairobi reaches a point where it must consider drastic measures like an outright ban, it must first win the battle for its pavements and cycle lanes. The future of mobility in our city depends on finding a balance where pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists can coexist safely.