‘Belgian families still spend less on mobility than before covid’

Since the Covid-19 crisis, there has been a “permanent change in household mobility behavior.” In particular, expenditures on car use have fallen significantly. That is the conclusion of a recent report by the Federal Planning Bureau and the Federal Public Service Mobility.

However, there is a big difference between the regions. Households living in Wallonia pay much more (5,878 euros per year, or 15% of their total expenditure) than those living in Flanders (4,916 euros, or 12%) and Brussels (3,291 euros, or 8% of their total expenditure).

Lasting change in mobility behavior

Before the pandemic outbreak, a family’s transport expenditure rose on average faster than other family expenditures. However, now there seems to be a turnaround. According to figures from the Planning Bureau, families spent an average of 10 percent of their income on transport in 2023, compared to 12 percent in 2019.

The study says the increase in teleworking, e-commerce, or bicycle use will likely have caused a lasting change in mobility behavior. Expenditure on purchasing a car has also fallen, but the crisis has had a long-lasting impact on production lines in the automotive industry, resulting in significant delivery delays. In addition, many families postpone the purchase of a new car due to uncertainty.

Public transport

The researchers also confirm in their report that transport expenditure increases as a family lives further away from the city. The accessibility of public transport plays a vital role in this. A family with easy access to public transport pays, on average, only half as much as a family with limited access (3,679 versus 7,240 euros).