2 June 2025

Question posed by Christa Brömmel

"In its analysis of early childhood in Luxembourg, LUCET found that merely attending early education was associated with better student performances at the end of Cycle 1 in all of the areas that were assessed, i.e., oral comprehension in Luxembourgish, the precursors of written comprehension, and maths. And this outcome is even more pronounced in children who simultaneously attended a crèche and an early education class" (Hornung et al., 2023, p. 41). This quote comes from a recent study by the OEJQS (Observatoire de l'enfance, de la jeunesse et de la qualité scolaire) that examines indicators affecting a pupil's schooling that are associated with their output – that is, the effect of teaching. Nationwide, data on enrolment in early education shows that it is the children who are neediest – due to their socio-cultural and socio-economic environment – who make use of this service the least, even though it is free and has demonstrated added value. The OEJQS's recommendations are geared towards increasing attendance in early education – particularly for children from the most disadvantaged families – and promoting studies to learn more about why parents do not enrol their children in it.

• What is the attendance rate in early education in Luxembourg City by district?
• Are all enrolment applications approved, in all districts? If not, how much capacity does the College of Aldermen think is lacking?
• What plans are there to make up for any lack of capacity?
• In terms of access to early education, are children from socio-economically disadvantaged families given priority?
• How is early education promoted among socio-economically disadvantaged families? Does the City plan to conduct a study, either on its own or with the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth (Ministère de l'Education nationale, de l'Enfance et de la Jeunesse), to learn why parents are not enrolling their children? Does the College of Aldermen intend to improve promotion efforts among this target group?

Response provided by Alderman Paul Galles

This is a bit like asking which came first: the chicken or the egg. Is the increase in demand the result of the increase in supply, or do we need to increase supply because of the increase in demand?

The citywide attendance rate in early education is 49.87%. Bear in mind that attendance in early education is optional, and that the children in question might also be enrolled in a crèche.

The attendance rate by district ranges from 26.03% in Neudorf/Weimershof (19 out of 73 children), to 100% in Pulvermühl (3 out of 3 children). The attendance rate by school catchment area ranges from 32.41% for the Gasperich school catchment area, to 84.21% for the Hamm school catchment area.

Out of 620 enrolment applications submitted by 14 May 2024, 586 (94.52%) were approved immediately. The remaining 34 applicants were put on a waiting list. Of those children, 28 were able to enrol later on, or the parents declined the enrolment offer when they were contacted.

Regarding the measures taken by the City to increase capacity, let's remember that a new building in Gasperich for Cycle 1 is in the planning stages. Unfortunately, this project is taking longer than we would like, but the building will be larger than initially planned because an additional floor will be added. In Kirchberg, the building extension is set to open, with four rooms reserved for early education – that is, an additional room.

Children from socio-economically disadvantaged families are not currently given priority when it comes to enrolment in early education. Nevertheless, this is something that is worth discussing with the ministry. In my presentation on the 2025–2026 school organisation arrangements, I will talk about what we are doing to try to achieve as much social equity as possible. Given that the number of places in early education is currently in line with demand, we did not consider it necessary to introduce an additional criterion, as was done for the foyers scolaires.

Question posed by Christa Brömmel

Sunny periods are becoming longer and more intense. According to the Fondation Cancer (Cancer Foundation), skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in Luxembourg. To reverse this trend, for the last few years the Fondation Cancer has been working on educating Luxembourg residents about the importance of protecting themselves from the sun, particularly by regularly applying sunscreen during intense exposure. This is why the Fondation Cancer teamed up with cities and municipalities to set up sunscreen stations across the country.

• The City of Luxembourg was a partner in this prevention initiative in 2022. Where were the sunscreen stations set up? What was the outcome of this partnership with the Fondation Cancer?
• Why wasn't the partnership continued in 2023 and 2024?
• Doesn't the College of Aldermen believe that skin cancer prevention is important? If it does, does it plan to work with the Fondation Cancer to join the list of municipalities offering this prevention service to their residents and visitors?
• Wouldn't it be appropriate to prioritise setting up sunscreen stations in playgrounds (Pirateschëff, Bambësch, parks in Merl and Kirchberg, etc.)?
• Would it be possible to also offer this service in LUGA green spaces and Gasperich park, where it will be many years before there are shady areas?

Response provided by Alderman Maurice Bauer

In 2022, the City participated in this initiative spearheaded by the Fondation Cancer – which is doing outstanding work – by setting up sunscreen stations in three locations, namely Merl Park, the Kinnekswiss, and the skate park in the Pétrusse Valley. The Service Parcs (Parks Department) issued a negative assessment, due to incidents of vandalism, and practical and health considerations. We found sunscreen cream in many public locations, but not on people's skin. Photos show that part of a building in Merl Park was covered in it. In addition, the stations did not work as expected, and there are also health issues to consider, as the sunscreen is exposed to the sun for days or even weeks on end.

It is for these reasons that the City decided to discontinue its participation in the initiative. However, we are still in regular contact with the Fondation Cancer. I also plan to meet with Fondation Cancer officials to explore other ways to promote sun protection, such as running an awareness campaign in the parks. We are open to any form of collaboration with the Fondation Cancer.

Question posed by Tom Weidig

I have been contacted by residents of the "Klouschterhaff", which is located near Rue du Parc in Bonnevoie. This is a small, pleasant square with a table-tennis table, chessboard, four chairs and two benches. Unfortunately, for some time now, this spot has been frequented by drug dealers, drug addicts, alcoholics, homeless people and aggressive, rowdy youths and, because of this, people feel much less safe. Local residents regularly have to put up with drug trafficking, physical and verbal aggressions, noise, and litter. Not to mention the terrible incident in which a young man was murdered. I have attached to my written question a report by a resident that was accompanied by several alarming photos.

• Is the College of Aldermen aware of the situation at the "Klouschterhaff"? If so, since when?
• What solutions are planned to counteract the significant decline in residents' quality of life?
• Residents are suggesting that the benches be removed and a camera installed, if need be. What is the College of Aldermen's position on this matter?
• To what extent is the City of Luxembourg cooperating with the police and "À vos côtés"?
• Who can residents contact directly if they want to report a problem?

Response provided by Mayor Lydie Polfer

We are fully aware of this situation. I would like to remind you that, on 3 March, the Municipal Council agreed to extend video surveillance coverage, and that this square – like several other spots in the vicinity – is within the area that will be monitored in the future.

A few weeks ago, "Drogendësch 2.0" was presented. The City of Luxembourg is working closely with the four ministers involved – Police, Health, Justice and Family –, each within the scope of their respective remits, to improve the overall situation. A number of services already exists to help the people concerned, particularly in Bonnevoie. But, as you know, the "À vos côtés" staff can only take preventive action, and does not have the same authority as the police.

Everyone is entitled to go about their business in public spaces. If offences are committed – particularly drug trafficking and drug use – the police, and only the police, can respond. For many years now, I have been calling for an increased police presence, and for a guarantee that whenever an offence is recorded, penalties are actually enforced, instead of the case being dismissed, which unfortunately happens too often.

If we were to remove the benches, we would be punishing people who simply want to enjoy this pleasant square, which is also the venue for a number of popular events in the summer. On the other hand, we could consider installing benches that are harder to lie down on.

The City is making significant efforts, such as relocating the Bonnevoie police station to new, more spacious premises, in a spot that will give the police greater visibility. The City will continue its efforts, but it can only do so within the scope of its legal powers. If residents witness a crime, they should contact the police.

Question posed by Antónia Afonso Bagine

In some Luxembourg City districts, it is hard to collect a parking ticket from parking meters and to pay by bank card, because the payment system is sometimes faulty. This puts drivers in a difficult position, especially if they have no change on them. Of course, there is the "Indigo Neo" mobile app, which has been rolled out by the City, but it appears that this app does not work in all districts.

• Could the "Indigo Neo" app be extended to cover to all city districts?
• Could the City communicate regularly about the payment options in paid parking zones, through media such as its website and newsletter, the Hoplr app, and so on?

Response provided by Alderman Patrick Goldschmidt

There are more than 1,400 parking meters in Luxembourg City. Some of them take coins and, in the most recent models, payment can also be made by bank card. The "Indigo Neo app" was rolled out on 1 June 2023, and covers all public parking spaces in the capital. Everything users need to know about the app can be found online by scanning the QR code posted on every parking meter, and on the www.vdl.lu website. City Magazine regularly publishes a section on parking in the city. We therefore believe that there is no need for additional communication about paying for parking.

Question posed by David Wagner

The accident that occurred in Limpertsberg in March 2025, in which six people were injured, served as a stark reminder of the risks involved in failing to observe the Traffic Code (Code de la route), and especially speed limits. Given that Limpertsberg is a district with a high concentration of schools, and that schoolchildren are among the most vulnerable road users, this accident underscores the need to mitigate the risks posed by motorised traffic, especially on the routes used by children to get to school.

The College of Aldermen's mission statement contains the following commitment: "More traffic-calming zones – 30 km/hour zones, pedestrian-priority zones, residential zones and pedestrian zones – will be created. More low-traffic zones near schools, crèches and foyers scolaires will be created."

On 26 May 2023, in a written question, Councillor Guy Foetz drew the College of Aldermen's attention to a joint letter written by the Belair-Kayser school's school committee and parent representatives about the dangerous situation caused by motorised traffic in front of this school. Further to Councillor Foetz's question, representatives from the City met with the Belair-Kayser school's school committee and parent representatives on 29 November 2023, and presented a detailed plan to upgrade Rue Aloyse Kayser and introduce a Pedibus walking-bus service. The project involves upgrade works on Rue Aloyse Kayser, carried out in two phases. The first phase, which involved creating a pedestrian crossing and narrowing the road in front of the school entrance, was completed in May 2024. To date, the second phase, which entails more comprehensive upgrading work, including narrowing the road further and creating additional pedestrian crossings in front of the school, has not yet been completed.

Problems with motorised traffic and persistent illegal parking in the vicinity of the Belair-Kayser school. The first phase of the project has proved to be inadequate in terms of ensuring schoolchildren's safety, since the pedestrian crossing is not on the route that most pedestrians take: they cross Rue Aloyse Kayser after walking up Rue des Arquebusiers on the left side, not the right side, where the pedestrian crossing is currently located. Does the College of Aldermen agree that the second phase of the project should be started immediately?

In response to the question asked by Councillor Foetz, the alderman responsible for traffic stated on 26 May 2023 that, "It was found that the only dangerous situations in the vicinity of the Aloyse Kayser school are caused by parents who stop to drop off/pick up their children in places where they are not supposed to." While it is questionable to blame individual parents for inadequate urban development and transport policy, as I recall, many of the children attending the Belair-Kayser school live outside the school's catchment area, and are therefore often driven to school. What percentage of children does this apply to? Wouldn't the College of Aldermen agree that in accepting a large number of children who live outside the school's catchment area, it is undermining its own policy of promoting active travel by introducing a Pedibus walking-bus service?

Response provided by Alderman Patrick Goldschmidt

The Rue Aloyse Kayser upgrade project consists of two phases. In the first phase, which has already been completed, a pedestrian crossing was placed at the intersection of Rue Aloyse Kayser and Rue des Arquebusiers, and the road was narrowed. It is true that there is a lot of traffic in that location, because of parents who drive their children to school. The second phase of the project involves work on the superstructure: parking will be permitted on only one side of the street, the road will be narrowed, a space will be created, and a second pedestrian crossing will be installed.

The project will be presented to local residents and the school's various stakeholders in the coming months, and we will discuss the project with them. Local residents have already started circulating a petition. They do not want to lose parking spaces, and they object to instituting two-way traffic, especially in view of the implementation of a future special development plan (plan d'aménagement particulier – PAP). The City firmly believes that something needs to be changed, especially since many parents drop off/pick up their children near the school, and that this is dangerous for children who walk to school. I find it hard to accept the argument that there aren't enough parking spaces, since the Stade car park is very close to the school.

As for the question of where the schoolchildren live, only 27 of the 291 (9.28%) children at the Belair-Kayser school do not live in Belair. A Pedibus walking bus service was introduced as a remedy for the traffic problems in the vicinity of the school. To date, 22 children have signed up for it. Among the children who live in Belair and attend the Belair-Kayser school, 90 live more than 750 metres from the school. Only one of these 90 children makes use of the Pedibus walking bus. The other 89 children either walk to school alone, or in groups, or are driven to school. So it is not the fact that 27 children live in other districts that is causing problems. We need to get together and think about what can be done to reduce traffic and make things safer for the children.

Question posed by François Benoy

Over a year ago, on 27 March 2024, the City of Luxembourg unveiled its mobility plan. We support the goal of achieving, by 2035, a modal split in which active travel and public transport services account for 51% of all means of transport, and individual motorised transport for the remaining 49%. However, as we have already noted on several occasions, the mobility plan contains no concrete actions. As the City is currently at a modal split of 40/60, there remains much work to be done to achieve the target we have set.

• Since the mobility plan was unveiled in March 2024, what concrete actions have been implemented to achieve the target set for 2035?
• Has a specific timetable been established, outlining the implementation stages of the plan? If so, what does it look like?
• Have specific actions been taken or planned to improve the pedestrian and cycling infrastructure? If so, what are they, and in which districts?
• According to the projected timetable, the integrated active travel concept, which the City commissioned the firm Gehl to draw up, is supposed to be finalised by the end of June 2025. Will it be ready and published in its entirety by then, as the alderman for mobility promised at the Municipal Council meeting held on 30 September 2024?
• Is the City planning to reduce private-vehicle traffic – for example, by reforming parking fees, rerouting traffic, and reducing the number of parking spaces? If so, what actions does it plan to take, and when?
• What steps have been taken to involve residents and stakeholders (local interest groups, ProVelo, etc.) in implementing the mobility plan? Can you confirm that a public consultation process is no longer included in the order placed with Gehl?
• What metrics are being used to track changes in the modal split, and how often is this data updated? Now, one year after the plan was unveiled, what is the College of Aldermen's assessment of the progress made?

Response provided by Alderman Patrick Goldschmidt

Our approach is clearly set out in the mobility plan. We placed particular emphasis on active travel – i.e., cycling and walking – and public transport, and we want to achieve a modal split of 51 to 49. In the conclusions set out at the end of the mobility plan, it is clearly stated that we intend to commission additional studies, and elaborate on certain concepts. These concepts involve traffic, active travel and parking management. The city plan for children ("Kinderstadtplan") is also one of the concepts that will be elaborated on. The process involving the elaboration of these concepts began in 2024.

Regarding traffic calming measures, we decided to start off by developing plans for six districts, in collaboration with an external consultancy. We have already presented our ideas on this to the residents of Hollerich, Merl and Limpertsberg, and we are now going to conduct tests to try to eliminate a significant amount of through traffic in residential neighbourhoods.

As for active travel, the City has tasked the consultancy we've mentioned to analyse the main thoroughfares. The entire network will be assessed using a points system, and will be compared to other networks. The analysis is expected to be submitted to the College of Aldermen before the 2025 summer holidays, and I hope we will be able to present it in committee in the autumn. At that point we will see which actions are feasible and which are not.

We have also developed a concept for charging station infrastructure. A public tender for this is being drawn up.

As for the "Kinderstadtplan", we had hoped that a large number of parents and children would respond to the survey that we conducted on this subject. Unfortunately, only 10% of children – bearing in mind that children participate only if their teachers do – and only 3% of parents responded. Nonetheless, we plan to continue our efforts, and we hope to have results by the end of 2025.

The parking concept will also be presented to the College of Aldermen. The areas where we plan to take action include parking times, zones (colours), permits and prices.

I therefore believe that we will achieve the target set in the mobility plan – namely, to improve the modal split in the coming years.

Progress is not measured annually, but rather every four or five years, based on counts to determine how many people get around on foot, by bike, by bus and by car.

We hope to achieve our objectives by improving services, particularly public transport services – for instance, by extending the bus and tram network.

We will be including the Municipal Council in this process in the coming months, and as soon as there are new components, we will discuss them in committee.

François Benoy: I would like to thank Alderman Goldschmidt for these explanations. However, he did not answer all my questions. Will the study done by Gehl be shared with us in its entirety? And is it true that the study does not include the public consultation which was initially planned for?

Alderman Patrick Goldschmidt: We will not hide anything. When the study becomes available, it will be discussed in committee, and its conclusions will be published. Gehl will not be conducting a public consultation as part of the current study, but I would like to remind you that there was a far-reaching public consultation when the mobility plan was being developed – and when the "active travel concept" was being developed – and that the City does quite a bit to involve residents, be it through online surveys, the Apéri'Tours, and frequent information session across in all city's various districts.