Janssen Pharmaceutica wants better access to public transportation. The company made this request to Flemish Traffic Minister Steve Stevaert (SP.A - Social Progressive Alternative) while he was visiting the facility in Beerse. The employees of the pharmaceutical company were invited to take part in Traffic Safety Day, which was held on Thursday.

Minister Stevaert took a look around the company on Thursday. The visit was planned as part of the activities held during European Mobility Week and Flemish Transportation Week. “It’s my fault that public transportation to and from the company is rated so poorly,” the minister admitted. “I promise to work on that, but first demand for public transportation has to be created. We can stimulate such demand by increased use of the Omnipass offered by the De Lijn bus company. Over-25s can get around with the pass more cheaply the whole year round, outside working hours too. Companies can introduce Omnipass without a tax liability.”

Traffic safety and mobility is a hobbyhorse of Janssen Pharmaceutica: employees who bike to work are compensated for doing do; motorized speedsters are not welcome on Janssen’s streets. The company even carries out speed checks, and drivers that exceed 30 km per hour are given a warning. Last week 1,400 employees took part in a special traffic safety quiz. The winners received a bicycle worth 600 euros. On Thursday, all participants were given an opportunity to test their skills and simulate accidents by means of slalom courses, ABS tests, a crash simulator and cars that turned over, crash style.