Flemish increasingly opt for cycling, but car remains king

June 06, 2023

The Fleming increasingly prefers to cycle and walk. This emerges from a study into the travel behavior of the Flemish population by the Department of Mobility. Although the car remains the most popular means of transport, the share of the car drops below 60% for the first time. It is the sixth time since 1994 […]

7% of Belgian drivers already had accident due to ‘drunk’ driving

June 05, 2023

A European survey shows that 7% of Belgians, or around 420 000 drivers, have already had an accident attributable to alcohol behind the wheel. Last year, nearly 47 000 drivers, an average of 128 per day, were also fined for ‘alcohol behind the wheel’ in Belgium. The new BOB campaign ‘BOB protects lives’ therefore calls […]

European transport ministers want to make 2024 Year of the Bicycle

June 05, 2023

Seven European transport ministers want to make 2024 the year of cycling. They launched this call on World Cycling Day. The United Nations has declared the 3rd of June World Cycling Day in 2018 to draw attention to the benefits of bicycles. The seven mobility ministers are asking Europe to develop a genuine cycling policy. […]

€1,5 million grant for Brussels police zones for road safety

June 02, 2023

The Brussels government is to give a 1,5 million euros grant to Brussels police zones to make road safety an absolute priority within policing. The additional grant should lead to more enforcement, among other things. The police zone Brussels-Capital-Elsene/Ixelles can count on just under 430 000 euro in subsidies. For the other five zones, it […]

Flanders: No more fines for late car inspections due to long waiting times

June 02, 2023

Those who present their vehicles late because of long waiting times at technical inspection centers in Flanders will soon no longer be fined. This was announced by Flemish Minister for Mobility Lydia Peeters (Open VLD). This is a temporary measure. When the problems in the car inspection sector are over, there will be no more […]

Brussels Region alone cannot bear the financing of Metro 3 construction

June 01, 2023

The financing of the new metro line 3 in Brussels continues to raise questions. It is also an item that keeps popping up in the Belgian press as it was recently revealed that the cost is much higher than first estimated. Among other things, the Brussels government has now asked the federal government whether it […]

Hoppin Point at AfricaMuseum in Tervuren opened

June 01, 2023

On the border of the Flemish Brabant town of Tervuren and Wezembeek-Oppem, one of the most important Hoppin Points along the Brussels Ring Road was officially opened on Wednesday. The Hoppin Point branches off from the terminus of Streetcar 44 and is close to Tervuren Park and the Africa Museum. At the new Hoppin Point […]

Belgian record in electricity generated by wind and sun on Whit Monday

May 31, 2023

Around noon on Whit Monday, a record amount of electricity was generated by wind and sun, enough to cover just about all of Belgium’s electricity consumption for a while. This is according to preliminary figures from high-voltage manager Elia. This is the first time that solar and wind have been enough to cover just about […]

MIVB/STIB and De Lijn see passengers returning

May 31, 2023

The impact of the corona crisis at the Brussels public transport company MIVB/STIB and the Flemish public transport company De Lijn seem to have turned the sharpest corner now. This is evident from recent figures. Nevertheless, De Lijn, in particular, has had a difficult year due to driver shortages and twice as many canceled trips. […]

China’s first passenger jet has completed its maiden commercial flight

May 30, 2023

The Comac C919, China’s first domestically manufactured aircraft, made its maiden commercial flight on Sunday. It should mark a turning point for the Chinese aviation industry, which has long wanted to compete with famous Western aircraft such as the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320. The C from Comac forms an ABC for a reason […]

2 300 Brussels residents took advantage of Bruxell’Air bonus last year

May 30, 2023

The new Bruxell’Air bonus launched in March 2022 was awarded to 2 300 Brussels residents last year. This bonus allows Brussels residents who give up their cars to benefit from the offer of sustainable mobility services, such as public transport, cabs, bicycles, scooters, shared vehicles, etc. According to the Brussels Minister for Climate Transition, Alain […]

Belgians prefer mobility by foot and car, cycling rises

May 30, 2023

Belgians most often traveled on foot (95%) and by car (94%) in 2022, according to a survey by FPS Mobility questioning 4 600 Belgians aged between 18 and 79. The two most popular alternatives are public transport and cycling, with 65% and 56%, respectively. However, sustainable mobility is gaining ground, partly because of environmental and […]

Lufthansa steps into Italian airline ITA

May 26, 2023

The die is cast. After months of negotiations, German airline group Lufthansa will take a minority stake in Italian airline ITA Airways. The Germans are injecting 325 million euros into ITA in exchange for a 41% stake. Eventually, they may acquire the airline outright. Additional government funding In addition to the capital increase by Lufthansa, […]

Brussels government ask federal government more money for Metro 3 project

May 26, 2023

The Brussels government will ask the federal government for a budget increase for the planned works on the Metro 3 project in the capital. This is because the costs of constructing a tunnel and stations are piling up much higher than initially projected. According to a report in the business newspaper L’Echo, Beliris, the federal […]

NMBS/SNCB: People with reduced mobility can request assistance more easily

May 26, 2023

Train passengers with reduced mobility can now also request assistance to take the train more easily via the NMBS/SNCB website. To this end, the website adopts the functions and benefits of NMBS/SNCB Assist, the pay launched in January. Among other things, a personal login, an adapted journey planner, online follow-up of requests, or requesting several […]

Brussels Airport back to profit and plans to slash 1.500 night flights

May 25, 2023

Brussels Airport Company, the operator of Zaventem airport, posted a net profit of 16 million euros last year. It is the first time in three years that it’s back in the black. “The profit in 2022 was still limited, but it does shed light at the end of the tunnel,” said airport chief Arnaud Feist. […]

Uber to deploy robotaxis together with Waymo

May 25, 2023

Ridesharing company Uber is going to offer robotaxis in the US. Uber’s partner is Waymo, a subdivision of the Alphabet group, Google’s parent company. An initial collaboration is scheduled for later this year in Phoenix City. The exact number of self-driving taxis remains undisclosed. The association surprises as the two companies were entangled in a […]

Road signs in Flanders cause row over language legislation

May 24, 2023

Flemish Minister of Mobility and Public Works Lydia Peeters (Open Vld) blows the whistle on her administration over the use of road signs that state ‘Liège’ instead of ‘Luik’, preferring the language of the destination instead of the location language of the signs. According to Peeters, the practice violates language laws. She wants the road […]

Brussels residents abandon car to cycle and walk more

May 24, 2023

People living in Brussels take their cars less often than ten years ago and more often go by bike or on foot. These are the results of a new study by Brussels Mobility. Every day, the capital’s inhabitants make 3,3 million journeys, accounting for 25 million kilometers traveled. Most of these are done on foot […]

Uber Commission: no illegal practices by Brussels government members

May 23, 2023

The Brussels Parliament’s special Uber Commission has not found any “illegal or illicit practices” on the part of government members or illegal lobbying practices by both Uber and actors in the traditional taxi sector. Those findings, 20 in general, were approved on Monday by all political groups except PVDA, and 14 recommendations were also formulated. […]

Brussels Pentagon gets 250 drop zones for e-scooters

May 23, 2023

By early autumn, the City of Brussels will have set up 250 drop zones for e-scooters from sharing platforms in the Pentagon. So says Brussels Alderman for Mobility Bart Dhondt (Groen). The Brussels government is working on a decree to regulate the operation of shared bikes and e-scooters in the Brussels region. Among other things, […]

One fifth of Flemish car users continue to manipulate mobile phone while driving

May 23, 2023

Using your mobile phone behind the wheel is prohibited by law, yet 17% of Flemish car drivers say they continue to use the device while driving. This is according to a survey of 454 motorists aged between 18 and 54 conducted on behalf of the Flemish Foundation for Transport Studies (VSV). To alert these thick-headed […]

Popularity Brupass transport ticket is growing

May 22, 2023

The Brupass formulas, the joint tickets and season tickets for public transport in and around Brussels created by the transport companies MIVB/STIB, De Lijn, TEC, and NMBS/SNCB to make journeys in and around the capital easier, are attracting increasing numbers of users. That is according to recent figures from Brussels Minister for Mobility Elke Van […]

Kilometer charge in Brussels continues to stir emotions

May 22, 2023

Last week, the various Belgian transport federations expressed dissatisfaction with the Flemish government’s renewed Flemish Energy and Climate Plan, which once again provides for road pricing only for trucks. Now Walloon MP François Desquesnes (Les Engagés) is also stirring in the debate on possibly introducing a kilometer charge for passenger cars. He does not want […]

App for faster green light planned in Belgium

May 19, 2023

Belgium’s Agency for Roads and Traffic (AWV) is working on an app that would soon allow you to get green faster at a traffic light. Public Dutch-language broadcaster VRT reports that. The new system should already work at some intersections in a few months. Linking the app to intelligent traffic lights will make traffic safer […]

Stricter rules drunk driving in Belgium: at 1,2% driving license lost

May 19, 2023

From 1 June, Belgium is lowering the threshold for immediate revocation of the driving license of those drunk behind the wheel. The standard then lowers from 1,5% to 1,2%. This was announced by Mobility Minister Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo). The measure will come into force on 1 June. To tackle alcohol behind the wheel even more […]

Brussel hands out 180 000 hours of free parking tickets

May 19, 2023

A charm offensive by the city of Brussels toward merchants and shopping motorists. Indeed, the city of Brussels is going to distribute thousands of free parking tickets. This was announced by Alderman for Economic Affairs, Fabian Maingain (DEFI). By doing so, he wants to support downtown merchants while encouraging “efficient mobility solutions”. Guide motorists’ behavioral […]

Brussels MR wants ban on bikes and e-scooters in busy pedestrian areas

May 17, 2023

The Brussels MR has proposed a bill to ban bicycles and e-scooters in busy pedestrian zones in the capital. Currently, the maximum speed allowed there is officially 8 km/hour. Cyclists and e-scooter users who ride too fast through the pedestrian zones risk a fine of 174 euros. The MR justifies the ban by “the explosion […]

Ostend airport gets 66 000 solar panels

May 16, 2023

There will be 66 200 solar panels on the grounds around Ostend airport. Energy company EnergyVision will start installing them there in autumn. Ostend-Bruges airport will so become one of the largest solar parks in Belgium. The project involves an investment of 35 million euros. The electricity generated should power the airport, while part also […]

EU backs Spanish subsidy program for EV batteries

May 16, 2023

The EU Commission has approved an 837 million euros program by the Spanish government to support the production of batteries for EVs. This reports the news site elective.com. The program is open to battery manufacturers and suppliers of essential components or related materials. The Spanish government plans to launch two new electric vehicle and battery […]

Transport federations also want kilometer charge for passenger cars

May 15, 2023

The Flemish government has adopted the updated Flemish Energy and Climate Plan (VEKP). To meet the target of -40% greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, the government is taking additional measures, including extending the truck kilometer charge and a support mechanism for new and second-hand zero-emission vehicles. However, the Transport Federations regret that kilometer charging for […]

Belgium counts fewer road deaths in first three months of 2023

May 15, 2023

During the first three months of this year, the number of on-site traffic fatalities on Belgian roads decreased by 18% compared to the same period last year. There were 89 road fatalities compared to 108 during the same period last year. One in three fatalities is a cyclist or pedestrian. This is according to Vias […]

Edinburgh gets UK’s first autonomous bus service

May 12, 2023

A route with self-driving buses from Stagecoach, UK’s largest bus and coach operator, will start operating in Edinburgh next week, a first in the UK. However, a driver will always be on board to monitor things and take back control of the bus in an emergency. This is also required by UK law. The project, […]

New interchange on Oosterweel project almost fully open this weekend

May 12, 2023

The first parts of the new, more compact interchange Antwerp-West, where the E17 (Ghent) and the Antwerp ring road near the Kennedy tunnel meet, will open to motorists from Friday evening at 8 p.m. The interchange on Antwerp’s Left Bank is part of the Oosterweel project, a mega-project designed to complete the Antwerp ring road. […]

Uber launches flight booking in its UK app

May 11, 2023

Technology company Uber, which offers taxi rides and meal deliveries with its app, is to expand its services. This summer, it will launch a feature in the UK that will allow users to book flights directly in its app. The feature was launched on Uber’s UK app for multimodal travel options last year, and the […]

Annual Volkswagen shareholder meeting disrupted by naked protest and pie throwing

May 11, 2023

Protests and incidents disrupted the annual shareholders’ meeting of German carmaker Volkswagen at a Berlin convention center on Wednesday. Climate and human rights activists threw, for example, a cream pie at Wolfgang Porsche, a representative of the company’s owning family, who was celebrating his 80th birthday just that day, although the target was missed. The […]

Belgium greenlights high-voltage operator Elia’s investment plan

May 10, 2023

Energy Minister Tinne Van der Straeten (Groen) has given the green light to the federal development plan of high-voltage grid operator Elia. With that plan, Elia sets out its Belgian course for the next ten years to simultaneously strengthen its energy supply and keep it affordable. The federal development plan includes the realization of the […]

‘Cafetaria plan’ pushes bike ahead for commuting Belgians

May 09, 2023

Belgian employees with flexible remuneration are increasingly opting for cycling. This emerges from an analysis by HR service provider SD Worx of so-called cafeteria plans, a personalized pay package with extralegal benefits that companies now offer. More than one in ten employees opt for a bicycle, for example. Individual pension savings and extra holidays also […]

Brussels working on new bike sharing system without Villo!

May 08, 2023

There is a hitch in the marriage between the Brussels Region and Villo! Operator JCDecaux. Brussels Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt (Groen) suggested last year that Villo! no longer met the expectations of the Brussels Region. The Brussels Region is now launching a study to replace Villo! So writes the business newspaper L’Echo. The […]

Walloon section of bicycle highway to Brussels inaugurated

May 08, 2023

In La Hulpe, Walloon Minister of Mobility and Road Infrastructure Philippe Henry (Ecolo) has inaugurated the very first Walloon section of the bicycle highway. The bicycle highways should become the backbone of the Walloon structuring bicycle network, which the government wants to establish to offer attractive alternatives to car use. At the same time, they […]

Greenpeace study: ‘public transport in EU far too expensive’

May 05, 2023

Belgium scores poorly when it comes to affordable public transport. That’s according to an analysis by Greenpeace. Due to the high cost and a small range of discounts, Belgium finishes 12th in the European ranking. But Belgium is not the only European country that suffers from that problem. Greenpeace’s analysis shows that public transport in […]

Brussels to limit number of shared e-scooters to 8.000

May 05, 2023

Whether it is an effect of the recent ban in Paris is not immediately clear, but Brussels is drastically changing course about shared vehicles. Starting next year, the Brussels government wants to allow a maximum of 8 000 shared e-scooters on the capital’s streets. From 2024, there would only be room for two operators versus […]

Brussels Airlines posts bigger revenue but remains in the red

May 04, 2023

Brussels Airlines posted sharply higher sales in the first quarter at 280 million euros than a year earlier. However, the airline still lost 44 million euros but maintains that it is “on track for strong black figures for all of 2023”. Parent company Lufthansa also posted a loss in the first quarter, a net loss […]

Rail freight company Lineas gets €20 million capital injection

May 03, 2023

Lineas, Europe’s largest private rail freight operator headquartered in Belgium, is eyeing a 20 million euros capital injection. This is reported by the business newspapers De Tijd and L’Echo. The rail freight company’s two shareholders, French investment fund Argos Wityu (90%) and the federal government (10%), are working on a first tranche of capital increase. […]

Energia: ‘diesel still accounts for 70% of Belgian road transport’

May 03, 2023

With 70% of total consumption, diesel remains Belgium’s main fuel for road transport. This is shown by figures from Energia, the voice tube of the country’s petroleum sector. Nevertheless, it remains striking that fuel continues to make up most of what is refueled while fewer and fewer new diesel cars are being bought. In general, […]

Traffic fines go up 10% in the Netherlands

May 02, 2023

Traffic fines are going up by 10% in the Netherlands. The increase in penalties will probably go into effect on January 1. The Ministry of Justice and Security must contribute to covering the government deficit and thus does so by increasing traffic fines. All departments, except Defense, must contribute to balancing the Dutch budget. For […]

New Walloon car taxation means higher taxes for expensive EVs

May 02, 2023

Wallonia is finally delivering its car tax reform after much bickering. It will take effect from July 20th and apply only to registration tax (TMC), the tax that must be paid when a new vehicle is purchased and thus registered before it’s allowed on the street. The annual circulation tax will remain unchanged, but the […]

De Lijn attracts 43% more passengers in first quarter 2023

May 02, 2023

In the first quarter of 2023, 72,8 million travelers used the buses and streetcars of the Flemish public transport company De Lijn. That is an increase of 43% compared to the same period last year. De Lijn will also equip all its buses with 3D cameras to count more accurately. Passenger numbers at De Lijn […]

Bicycle bridge between Vilvoorde and Brucargo to encourage commuting

April 28, 2023

A bicycle bridge over the Haachtsesteenweg (N21) has been inaugurated in the Flemish Brabant town of Steenokkerzeel. The bridge is part of the bicycle highway F214, which connects the center of Vilvoorde with Brucargo, the cargo zone of Brussels Airport. “Thanks to the bridge, hundreds of airport employees will be able to get to work […]

Newest generation of tram vehicles running in Brussels

April 27, 2023

Brussels public transport company MIVB/STIB has introduced a new generation of tram vehicles. The first TNG vehicle was deployed on the northern section of line 51, between Brussels South Station and the Stadion stop at the King Boudewijn Stadium. The TNG, for ‘Tram New Generation’, is intended to strengthen the tram offer in Brussels. Over […]

Hyundai and SK invest $5 billion in US battery factory

April 26, 2023

Car manufacturer Hyundai and battery manufacturer SK will invest five billion dollars to build a joint battery cell factory in Bartow County, Georgia, US. Production would start in the second half of 2025. With this new joint venture, the two South Korean companies aim to produce 35 kWh of EV battery cells annually, enough to […]

De Lijn introduces first bus ban ever for 19-year-old roughneck

April 26, 2023

In Kortrijk, Belgian’s public transport company De Lijn, in collaboration with the city and the police, has introduced a bus ban for someone who caused a nuisance on a bus. It is the first time in Flanders that this new type of place ban has been applied. The measure means that the person in question […]

Belgian rail’s security counted 32.000 interventions in 2022

April 25, 2023

Agents of Securail, the security service of Belgian railway company NMBS/SNCB, had to intervene 32 000 times last year. That is an average of almost 90 interventions per day. This is reported by the newspaper La Dernière Heure. NMBS/SNCB also plans to recruit 150 new staff for its Securail security service this year. Recruitment is […]

North Sea to become Europe’s green power plant

April 25, 2023

Nine European countries signed a joint declaration on Monday in Ostend at the second North Sea Summit to make the North Sea the “green power plant of Europe”. The nine aspire to produce some 300 gigawatts (GW) of energy by 2050 through the massive construction of offshore wind farms. According to Belgian Prime Minister Alexander […]

Half of Brabant provincial train stations to get better offer

April 24, 2023

Last week it already became known that night trains would be available in the Brussels region until two in the morning. At a more detailed presentation Friday of the NMBS/SNCB global 2023-2026 transport plan, more details became known for the province of Flemish Brabant. Apart from more trains at weekends and on Friday and Saturday […]

Chile’s president wants to partially nationalize lithium reserves

April 24, 2023

The Chilean government wants to partially nationalize the country’s lithium reserves. This was stated by the leftist Chilean President Gabriel Boric last week. At 9,3 million tons, the country has the largest amount of lithium among global reserves. All companies dealing with the valuable raw material in Chile will henceforth be forced to involve the […]

Minister twists and turns to avoid €30 million LEZ fines for De Lijn

April 21, 2023

From 2026, Flemish public transport company De Lijn risks paying an estimated 30 million euros in fines because Euro 6 buses will then no longer be allowed in the low-emission zones (LEZ) in Antwerp and Ghent. To avoid that scenario, Flemish Minister of Mobility Lydia Peeters (Open VLD) is in a crisis meeting with her […]

Belgian rail’s Innovation Lab involves travelers in testing app

April 21, 2023

Starting in June, anyone who wants can participate via an app in the ongoing initiatives that Belgian railroad company NMBS/SNCB is trying out through its Innovation Lab to make rail travel more attractive to travelers. So write several newspapers, including La Capital and Het Laatste Nieuws. Receiving real-time information via your cell phone about replacement […]

Brussels keeps its public transport passengers happy

April 20, 2023

The Brussels bus, metro, and tram company MIVB/STIB scores 7,3 out of 10 on the company’s satisfaction barometer, the same score as the two previous years and better than any other public transport in Belgium. “A clear recognition from passengers about the investments in public transport,” says CEO Brieuc de Meeùs. The metro remains the […]

NS-Intercity Amsterdam-Brussels cuts travel time by half an hour

April 20, 2023

Dutch railroad company NS carried passengers on a new intercity train between Amsterdam and Rotterdam for the first time Wednesday. The intention is to use that new Intercity New Generation (ICNG) later between Amsterdam and Brussels. NS reported this in a press release. The new trains would allow you to track half an hour faster […]