May 31, 2024
Over a quarter of fatal road accidents in Flanders and Wallonia are due to off-road obstacles such as trees, traffic poles, and crash barriers, according to an annual analysis by mobility organization Touring reported by the newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws. In 2022, it was 77 out of 282 road deaths in Flanders and 77 out […]
May 30, 2024
Rail freight company Lineas is getting a new 46 million euro bailout. It is striking that the regional governments in Flanders and Wallonia are now also going to help save the company, reports the business newspaper De Tijd. Earlier, the federal government supported Lineas financially twice. The company, the largest private rail freight operator in […]
May 30, 2024
At the Terhills tourist site in Dilsen-Stokkem and Maasmechelen in Limburg, five instead of two self-driving shuttles will now drive around to take tourists and guests there to the various hotspots. It is the first and, so far, only fully autonomous transport system in Europe, i.e., without a safety steward on board. The shuttles can […]
May 29, 2024
High-speed train operator Eurostar has concentrated the management of its entire network and incident handling in one place: Brussels. The new operations center, which operates 24 hours a day, employs some 100 people managing around 100 trains and 50,000 passengers a day. Previously, there were two operational centers: one in Brussels for the former Thalys […]
May 29, 2024
Customer satisfaction at Flemish public transport operator De Lijn is declining, even though it carried 17% more passengers last year. The ageing bus fleet and staff shortages continue to hamper De Lijn. The Brussels public transport company MIVB/STIB also carried more passengers last year (+11%), but a more attractive offer and better punctuality ensure higher […]
May 28, 2024
Engie Electrabel is demanding 500 to 600 million euros in compensation from the Belgian government as the lifetime extension of two nuclear power plants disrupts the previously planned decommissioning plan. So, reports business newspaper De Tijd, which consulted the annexes to Electrabel’s annual accounts published last week. The government does not agree and has requested […]
May 28, 2024
The Brussels city council wants the Brussels Region to take measures against noise from amplified engines and exhaust pipes in the capital’s streets. To this end, the city council approved a resolution by Councilor Mathias Vanden Borre (N-VA) on the issue. According to the World Health Organization, noise is the second biggest environmental cause of […]
May 27, 2024
The Flemish government will start new proceedings before the Court of Appeal to demand penalty payments of 100,000 euros per day if the federal government does not adjust the flight routes over the Flemish periphery again. Flemish Periphery Minister Ben Weyts (N-VA) announced this in a press release. Federal Mobility Minister Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo) called […]
May 27, 2024
Last year, 59 accidents were caused by ignoring red lights in Brussels. From 1 June, Brussels will launch a new awareness campaign, “Do you think 1 minute before the red light is too long?” to call on motorists, cyclists, steppers, and pedestrians alike to obey traffic rules and respect traffic lights. Vulnerable road users are […]
May 24, 2024
By the end of next year, EV drivers will be able to access 130 (ultra) fast-charging points on Flemish motorways. Actually, there are already 95 of them available. “With this, the Flemish government will meet its target of installing every 25 km charging infrastructure along or close to motorways by the end of 2025,” says […]
May 24, 2024
Despite more checks, the number of fare dodgers at Flemish public transport company De Lijn has increased by more than 70% in five years. Moreover, De Lijn is losing a lot of money because half do not pay their fines. Last year, for example, 4,1 million euros out of a total of 8,2 million euros […]
May 23, 2024
The Brussels public transport company MIVB/STIB will start operating the new tram line 10 from Churchill to the Military Hospital on 23 September. The new line should mainly increase the accessibility of Neder-Over-Heembeek, a borough of the city of Brussels. Residents of that borough currently must do a lot to get to the center of […]
May 23, 2024
Since the Flemish Traffic Center started measuring in 2011, April was the second heaviest month for congestion. The record for the heaviest congestion month ever remains June 2019 for now. Moreover, traffic jams in February, March, and April – with 167 km of traffic jams per working day that month – were never as heavy […]
May 22, 2024
Engineers at ArcelorMittal have launched a pilot plant in Ghent to capture CO2. The plant in Ghent is the first of its kind in the European steel industry. It is an important step toward greening the polluting steel industry. For all that, the Flemish government is raising support for the steel company from 350 to […]
May 21, 2024
Brussels Airlines is going to the Council for Permit Disputes against the new environmental permit for Brussels Airport. According to the airline, European rules were not respected. Thirteen environmental organizations and residents’ associations are also taking the same step, following the lead of the Walloon government and Brussels Environment Minister Alain Maron (Ecolo). They say […]
May 20, 2024
Track runners and incidents at level crossings cause more than 12 hours of delays every day on the entire Belgian rail network. To improve safety at level crossings and train punctuality, rail network manager Infrabel is now using artificial intelligence (AI). By the end of this year, 70-level crossings will be equipped with AI cameras […]
May 16, 2024
High-speed train operator Eurostar is to thoroughly renew and expand its fleet by ordering up to 50 new trains. It expects to put the first new trains into service in 2030. The HST operator also reached a turnover of 2 billion euros for the first time in 2023, a quarter more than in 2022. It […]
May 16, 2024
Of the approximately 1.2 million streetlights along Flemish roads, some 640,000 have now received LED lighting. By the end of 2028, all streetlights in the Flemish cities and municipalities should have LEDs. “Switching to LED lamps will provide energy savings of as much as 30% – or 30.876 tons of CO2 – compared to 2015 […]
May 15, 2024
In collaboration with Brussels public transport operator MIVB/STIB, Brussels Mobility has applied for planning permission to construct tram line 15, a new line to link Belgica metro station and the Thurn & Taxis neighborhood with the North Station and later with Central Station. The public space along the approximately 2 km route will also be […]
May 15, 2024
Several dozens of buses are idle at De Lijn because the right spare parts are unavailable. These should normally come from Van Hool, but due to the bankruptcy, the bus manufacturer cannot supply them to the Flemish public transport company. De Lijn expects it will not stop at these dozens of buses and has set […]
May 14, 2024
By 2030, trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles in Europe must reduce their CO2 emissions by 45% from 2019 levels. That threshold will then be raised to 65% by 2035 and 90% by 2040 – the average lifespan of a truck is 18 years, that’s why. The European Parliament had previously approved these new emission standards, […]
May 14, 2024
These days, it is best to avoid the Leonard intersection on the Brussels Ring with the E411 highway and an even broader area around it in Tervuren. Due to the work on the Leonard Tunnel, there is a lot of traffic congestion around the tunnel complex, which will cause you to lose at least one […]
May 13, 2024
Last year, almost 1.2 million cars were presented for technical inspection in Wallonia. According to statistics from the Public Service of Wallonia, Mobility, and Infrastructure, 20% of them came later than the expiry date of the inspection certificate. On average, Walloons were 58 days late; in 2019, for example, it was 55 days. Different problems […]
May 13, 2024
Boulevard Charles Quint in Brussels is to be transformed into a city boulevard with more greenery and cycle paths. Brussels Mobility has applied for planning permission to do so. The avenue, which runs from the commune of Berchem-Sainte-Agathe through Ganshoren to the Basilica of Koekelberg, is an important but unattractive access route to the capital. […]
May 10, 2024
Belgian railway NMBS/SNCB is looking for a buyer for four office complexes at Brussels South, or Brussels-Midi station, representing 150,000 square meters, writes the business newspaper De Tijd. Usually, the consortium that may build the railway company’s new headquarters on the site of NMBS/SNCB’s buildings on Avenue Fonsny would take over the site. The sale […]
May 09, 2024
Electronics chain MediaMarkt, which opened its first European ‘Urban Mobility Store’ in Antwerp on Tuesday, is selling a racing e-scooter that reaches 70 km/h. Such devices are not allowed on public roads in Belgium, where the maximum speed is 25 km/h. However, the electric chain claims that such a device is “ideal for commuting,” says […]
May 08, 2024
The Belgian High Health Council is calling for a ban on night flights at Brussels Airport. This is the advisory body’s first recommendation of such a measure. According to the Council, at least 160,000 people living nearby are at increased risk of negative health effects, such as disturbed sleep, reduced lung function, and changes in […]
May 07, 2024
Spanish manufacturer Irizar E-mobility has won the Flemish public transport company De Lijn’s tender for a framework agreement for up to 100 electric buses for ‘high-quality public transport’ (HOV). Modern articulated buses bet on passenger comfort and are intended for longer-distance journeys. A possible investment of 117 million euros would be involved. According to De […]
May 06, 2024
According to a stability study commissioned by the city council, the right-wing of the station building in Tienen is in danger of collapsing. The building has been languishing for several years, and the Belgian railways NMBS/SNCB wants to assign it on a long lease to a partner who must also be responsible for its renovation. […]
May 03, 2024
With 400 gates, five parallel runways, five passenger terminals, and an area of 70 km², Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport is set to become the largest airport in the world. Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, gave the go-ahead for the ambitious construction plans this week. […]
May 03, 2024
German technology conglomerate Siemens may build the railcars for the first high-speed rail line in the US between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Brightline, which is leading the project, has announced this. A fleet of ten railcars is involved. Siemens will also build a plant in the US to manufacture the ‘American Pioneer 220’ (AP […]
May 02, 2024
The Walloon government has granted Liège Airport a new environmental permit. The Council of State initially threatened to annul that. Still, strengthening the permit’s legal basis, including the limit of 55,000 authorized flights per year, remedied that shortcoming. At the end of February, the auditor at the State Council ordered the annulment of the license […]
May 02, 2024
The recent social unrest, with several strikes and strike notices, has cost Brussels Airlines an estimated 14 million euros. As a result, the Belgian airline went deeper into the red in the first quarter than during the first three months of last year. Strikes didn’t affect the Belgian airline alone, as parent company Lufthansa saw […]
April 30, 2024
French public railways SNCF has presented the new TGV train, the so-called ‘train of the future’ expected for the second half of 2025. The train has a rather understated aesthetic and is all white, with some red accents for the logo and doors, as opposed to the striking orange of the early models. The SNCF […]
April 29, 2024
Danish shipping and logistics company DFDS, one of Northern Europe’s largest shipping companies, is to deploy a fleet of battery electric vessels on the English Channel. The company reports this in a press release, after meeting with UK Minister for Investment and Regulatory Reform, Lord Dominic Johnson. DFDS’s long-term goal is to have up to […]
April 29, 2024
The Waterbus, which connects Brussels and Vilvoorde, will resume its service on the canal from 1 May. This has been announced by Brussels by Water. The liner will commute every weekday until October and at weekends during the summer holidays. The Waterbus sails between the Stone Quay in Vilvoorde and the Barges Quay in Brussels, […]
April 26, 2024
Air traffic controller Skeyes is also preparing a digital control center in Flanders, which will serve the airports of Antwerp, Ostend, and Kortrijk. Skeyes and the Flemish government have reached an agreement on this. The decision that by 2026, air traffic at Charleroi and Liège airports, which are 100 km apart, will be remotely managed […]
April 26, 2024
The Council of State is blowing the Brussels government the whistle over its decision to limit the number of shared e-scooters, according to newspapers La Libre Belgique and La Dernière Heure. Brussels Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt (Groen) reacted with disappointment but was delighted that the Council did uphold the drop zones and fines […]
April 25, 2024
It has been known for a while that the UK government wants more control over rail transport, but if it depends on the opposition Labour Party, that will effectively come about when it returns to power. So write British media such as The Guardian and the BBC. If Labour is again in government, it wants […]
April 24, 2024
E-bikes are popular among the elderly, and the number of Belgians buying them is rising. Still, you better use a helmet when you get on your e-bike. According to a recent study from Zurich, the injuries you can suffer in a fall or accident are even more comparable to those of motorcyclists rather than conventional […]
April 24, 2024
Yesterday, the federal and regional mobility ministers in Belgium officially launched MyBike, the first free national bicycle register to help prevent bicycle theft. The draft law for this was already approved last year, but now, therefore, the registration of bicycles can officially start. Owners can store the details of their bicycles, file a report, and […]
April 23, 2024
According to a study by the Federal Planning Office, the 2012 reform of the Flemish vehicle registration tax (BIV) led to a faster but small decrease in CO2 emissions from new passenger cars in Flanders. The additional impact of the Flemish reform of the annual circulation tax in 2016 and the premium for emission-free cars, […]
April 23, 2024
In Ghent, 63 cities, companies, and property developers have signed a ‘Green Deal for shared mobility’. Through the partnership, the participants commit to providing the necessary places for shared cars and bikes near homes. The ambition is to have 7,000 shared cars and 150,000 car sharers by 2027. Research shows that each shared car replaces […]
April 22, 2024
French manufacturer HoloSolis is to build Europe’s largest photovoltaic panel factory in Hambach, near Sarreguemines in Moselle, France. The construction involves an investment of 710 million euros. Onsite construction is expected to launch in the second quarter of this year, and production will start in 2025. The factory is targeted to produce 10 million PV […]
April 22, 2024
Low-cost airlines pollute more than ever, the NGO Transport & Environment (T&E) denounces in a new report. All passenger flights taking off in Europe last year emitted as much CO2 as 80 million petrol cars in one year. However, airlines, according to the NGO fighting for more environmentally friendly transport, had to pay for less […]
April 19, 2024
Of Belgian employees who can choose to convert part of their traditional cash remuneration into another benefit via a cafeteria plan of flexible remuneration, 13% opt for a bicycle. According to an analysis by SD Worx of almost 100,000 employees, this is the first time that as many employees have chosen a bicycle as a […]
April 19, 2024
In 2023, 30% of Belgians received a traffic fine, the vast majority for a speeding offense. A survey conducted by Traffic Safety Institute Vias now shows that two out of three drivers do adjust their driving behavior after receiving a speeding ticket. The Federal Highway Police and local police are also organizing the twentieth-speed camera […]
April 18, 2024
French multinational rolling stock manufacturer Alstom is in intensive negotiations with the UK government to save its train assembly plant in Derby, according to The Daily Telegraph, among other sources. The factory at Litchurch Lane is out of work due to an 18-month production gap at the site work and is about to be closed, […]
April 18, 2024
The dredging works required for the construction of the new Scheldt tunnel for the Oosterweel connection have started in the Scheldt off the Antwerp port area. Specifically, this involves creating a temporary navigation channel so that ships can safely pass by the works and then a sinking trench so that the tunnel elements can be […]
April 17, 2024
French company Hype’s hydrogen taxis are coming to Brussels, according to the business newspaper L’Echo. To tackle the market in the Belgian capital, Hype notably acquired a stake in the local taxi company Mol-Tax. The company would also install its green hydrogen stations in Brussels. Second hydrogen taxi project in Brussels From 2025, all new […]
April 17, 2024
Last year, there were an average of 15 cases of aggression per day against staff of Belgian public transport companies, a 1,5% increase compared to 2022. To stop such aggression, De Lijn, MIVB/STIB, NMBS/SNCB, and TEC have launched a joint campaign. They are also calling for further support from the police and judiciary to tackle […]
April 16, 2024
Belgian rail network operator Infrabel and the French multinational rolling stock manufacturer Alstom will install up to 10,000 new sensors along the Belgian rail network over the next decade. To this end, the two companies have signed an 80 million euro contract. The sensors or train detection devices should, among other things, help improve train […]
April 16, 2024
According to a BeMob survey by FPS Mobility, 32% of Belgian workers used a bicycle to commute to work last year, either for all or part of the journey. This is an increase compared to 2019, when 29% of Belgian workers (partly) cycled to work. However, there are big differences between regions as, on average, […]
April 15, 2024
The Walloon government has approved the Mobi’Park project for public transport company TEC. The project involves developing a new bus depot in Tilleur, in the province of Liège. Philippe Henry (Ecolo), Walloon Minister of Mobility, says this will be the first electrified depot in Wallonia. A budget of 105 million euros has been allocated for […]
April 15, 2024
Ecolo, the French-speaking Green party in Belgium, remains behind its choice for 100 kph on motorways in Belgium. At the Flemish Green Party, the proposal is no longer to be found in the 2024 election program. Coalition partner Ecolo does want to go full steam ahead with it, writes the newspaper La Dernière Heure, but […]
April 12, 2024
In Paris, the bicycle has overtaken the car as a means of transport and is now behind walking and public transport. According to a survey by the Paris Region Institute (IPR), conducted at the request of some 15 public and private institutions, Parisians use bicycles more, chosen for 11,2% of intramural trips, than cars, with […]
April 12, 2024
The European Parliament has approved stricter CO2 standards for buses and trucks. This includes the requirement that all new buses should be emission-free by 2035 and almost all new trucks by 2040. The European Council still must give the green light, but this is considered a formality. A complete ban on combustion engines for lorries […]
April 11, 2024
Last year, 569,605 new bikes were delivered in Belgium, down one-fifth compared to the peak year 2022. Mobility Federation Traxio says the fewer new bicycles purchased are due to large stocks at bicycle dealers. Yet a historic milestone has also been rounded in the meantime: the e-bike achieves a market share of more than half […]
April 10, 2024
The business newspaper De Tijd reports that drivers of the Flemish public transport company De Lijn received a record number and amount of traffic fines last year. Altogether, 2,531 traffic violations were recorded, accounting for a fine amount of over 173,000 euros. Compared with 2022, the previous record year, the number of offenses recorded is […]
April 10, 2024
The Roads and Traffic Agency reports that additional work has unexpectedly emerged during the renovation of the Leonard Tunnel in Tervuren. From 16 April, these will cause serious disruption to traffic and residents of the Brussels and Flemish municipalities around the site. The Auderghem municipality and the Brussels Region have called on the Flemish authorities […]
