It is 6pm on a Friday evening and in Ghent, Belgium’s third city, the number of people on bicycles seemingly outnumbers those in cars.
On Forelstraat, a suburban road that leads towards the centre, an overhaul of traffic rules has made it one-way for cars with a whole carriageway given over to cyclists.
It is a striking example of how, with political will and an acceptance of active travel, cities can be transformed to promote two wheels over four. Almost everywhere there are painted cycle lanes, segregated sections or entire roads closed to motor traffic.
“Everything is in balance there,” said Sarah McMonagle, the director of external affairs at Cycling UK, the trade group. “You have to remember the city was like London a decade