September 18, 2023
In January, there will be a central bicycle register in Belgium to fight bicycle theft. Federal Mobility Minister Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo) confirmed this in Le Soir newspaper, among others. It is one of the showpieces of the ‘Be Cyclist’ program, which aims to promote the use of bicycles through a series of 52 measures. The […]
September 15, 2023
A volcanic crater on the border between Nevada and Oregon is believed to contain an estimated 20 to 40 million tons of lithium, a critical raw material for producing batteries for electric cars. So, report several US media outlets. With an estimated value of 1,5 trillion dollars of precious metal, the amount is almost double […]
September 15, 2023
British oil company BP continues to set ambitious targets for its network of ultra-fast charging stations. By 2030, it wants to roll out 20 000 High Power Charging (HPC) points for cars and a network of low-carbon mobility hubs for medium and heavy-duty vehicles. It will do this with Germany’s largest service station network, Aral, […]
September 15, 2023
Danish container shipping company Maersk has launched the world’s first container ship to run on green methanol in its fleet. The ship, the ‘Laura Maersk’ was christened in Copenhagen by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. “This ship embodies Europe’s decision to be a pioneer in the fight against climate change,” von der Leyen […]
September 14, 2023
Belgian rail operator NMBS/SNCB is struggling with obsolete rolling stock. According to the newspaper La Libre Belgique, 15% of NMBS/SNCB’s rolling stock is idle for repairs or maintenance, which has consequences for train punctuality. The problem is not new, but problems and delays in delivering new equipment are causing the problem to drag on. In […]
September 13, 2023
After a nine-year absence, Brussels Airlines will again fly to the Kenyan capital Nairobi in June. To do so, it will deploy a new aircraft, an Airbus A330, now the airline’s tenth long-haul aircraft. It will also increase the number of flights to the Rwandan capital, Kigali, from five to seven a week. The ramping […]
September 13, 2023
On 17 September, the 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, like 40 Flemish cities and municipalities, will organize another Car Free Sunday. The entire region will be closed to car traffic on that day from 9.30 a.m. to 7 p.m., making it the largest car-free zone in Europe. The service of the Brussels public transport […]
September 11, 2023
The Gotthard tunnel, at 16,9 km the longest road tunnel in Switzerland, has been closed since Sunday. The reason is a crack in the ceiling of the tunnel, which is popular with motorists driving to and from Italy. Chunks of concrete landed on the road, but no one was injured, said FEDRO, the Swiss agency […]
September 11, 2023
The permit for the Airport Tram, which will connect Brussels Airport to Brussels, has been granted by Flemish Environment Minister Zuhal Demir (N-VA). Construction works could start in late 2025 to early 2026. The Brussels Region had already issued planning permission for the Brussels section of the future inter-regional tram line to the national airport. […]
September 08, 2023
Brussels-based holding company D’Ieteren Group, best known for importing and distributing cars of the Volkswagen Group and Carglass, posted a gross profit of 548,9 million euros during the first six months of this year. That is almost half as much profit as during the same period last year. The central part of the profit comes […]
September 08, 2023
There will be a specific police office, more patrols, and an alcohol ban at Brussels South Station to tackle drug and security problems. These are some of the 22 concrete actions agreed between the federal and Brussels governments, the municipalities of Saint-Gilles and Anderlecht, and railway company NMBS/SNCB, under the coordination of the National Crisis […]
September 07, 2023
The European Commission calls for introducing a standardized disability card recognized throughout the European Union’s 27 member states. The card should simplify travel and free movement for people with disabilities across Europe, one of the core rights of the bloc. “The rights of people with disabilities must not stop at national borders,” says EU Commission […]
September 07, 2023
The Brussels public transport company MIVB/STIB and Brussels Mobility have launched the new multimodal app, Floya. Now available in the app stores, the app brings together information on the entire mobility offer in Brussels on one platform. Users can thus see all possible travel options at a glance. According to MIVB/STIB, the app Evident/Trafi developed […]
September 06, 2023
You don’t have to live in Brussels for road safety, and certainly not since the rise of electric shared mobility. As many as 64% of Brussels residents blame the rising number of road accidents on this trend. More than half (54%) of the capital’s residents also think shared e-mobility, such as rental e-scooters, should be […]
September 05, 2023
The transport of goods by inland navigation from the North Sea Port, the merger of the ports of Ghent, Terneuzen, and Flushing, to the hinterland has continued to increase. In five years, it rose from 54% to 60%. The port reports this based on the fifth survey conducted among companies in the 60-kilometer-long cross-border port […]
September 05, 2023
Rome has not gone as far as Paris, but instead of a total ban, the Eternal City, following the example of Brussels, is limiting the number of rental e-scooters from 14 500 to 9 000 from 1 September. At the same time, the city is also implementing new rules to regulate the use of the […]
September 04, 2023
Passenger organization TreinTramBus complains about the ongoing uncertainty and lack of clarity about the number of rides De Lijn is cutting. According to TreinTramBus, the Flemish public transport company is cutting supply in some places more severely than the announced 0,75%. The organization also calls De Lijn’s communication “inferior”. Due to a lack of drivers, […]
September 04, 2023
Dutch industrial group VDL has seen turnover from its bus division fall 40% in the first six months, from 251 million euros a year ago to 153 million euros at the end of June. This is shown in the group’s income statement. The division is also loss-making, but for how much VDL does not share. […]
September 01, 2023
Mobility Minister Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo) is to amend the existing breath test procedure. The possibility of requesting a 15-minute waiting period will be abolished, and the minimum volume of exhaled air will be reduced. Gilkinet has submitted the faster and more efficient measure to the regions and hopes it can come into effect by the […]
August 31, 2023
In Paris, one of 15 000 shared e-scooters can be ridden for the last time today. From September 1st, they will be banned from the French capital, a result of the outcome of a binding referendum held in April. The rental e-scooters were said to cause too much chaos on pavements and unsafe traffic situations. […]
August 30, 2023
Brussels public transport operator MIVB/STIB has officially declared tram line 18 open. The tram line has Albert station in Forest as its terminus. That station should become a multimodal hub for Brussels public transport. By 2030, three tram lines should converge there, as should the future metro line 3. Albert station, located next to Forest […]
August 30, 2023
Next summer, Ghent wants to organize Velo-city, a significant cycling festival and congress. The city council has set aside 180 000 euros for it. The highlight should be a bike ride with 2 000 participants. From 18 to 21 June 2024, Ghent will briefly be the epicenter of international cycling. The major cycling conference Velo-city […]
August 28, 2023
A major police operation occurred Saturday in and around Brussels South railway station. Some 60 people were arrested, most of whom were migrants without legal residence. The action came after complaints in recent weeks about nuisance and insecurity and a cry for help from national railway company NMBS/SNCB and the Brussels Capital Region. As a […]
August 25, 2023
The Walloon government has adopted a decree to regulate fleets of shared bicycles and e-scooters in cities and to ensure more sustainable management. The text provides for the Region to grant licenses only to operators who meet various technical requirements, such as vehicle characteristics, but also the sustainability of fleet management. The Walloon municipalities will […]
August 25, 2023
Staff shortages continue to trouble the Flemish public transport company De Lijn. From 1 September, it will temporarily and structurally cancel certain rides across Flanders due to staff shortages. According to De Lijn, around 0,75% of all journeys are affected. The Flemish transport company stressed that bus lines and school rides will be safeguarded. “The […]
August 24, 2023
Frank Energie, a new Dutch energy supplier, wants to conquer Belgium after the Netherlands, with dynamic hourly prices to allow EV owners to charge at home when prices are at their lowest, for instance. CEO Hans van der Woude does not hide his ambitions: After further growth in Belgium, Spain, and France, the start-up wants […]
August 23, 2023
Belgian public transport companies continue to struggle to find drivers. MIVB/STIB, NMBS/SNCB, De Lijn, and Walloon counterpart TEC are all struggling to find drivers for their trams, trains, and buses due to stiff competition, with the transport sector also facing driver shortages. The big fear here, of course, remains that the supply quality will come […]
August 22, 2023
For the time being, Dutch insurer ANWB will stop ensuring fat bikes, electrically powered bicycles with thicker tires. The insurer says it is doing so because of the “extremely high” number of stolen fat bikes. The financial damage recovered from insurance has now risen to 800% of the premium, says ANWB. “This is not bearable […]
August 21, 2023
Sophie Dutordoir, CEO of Belgian railways NLBS/SNCB, has asked local, regional, and federal authorities to help tackle the growing safety and cleanliness problems at Brussels South Station, with around 60 000 daily travelers, one of Belgium’s busiest train stations. The mix of many travelers, tourists, drug addicts, more asylum seekers, as well as empty buildings […]
August 18, 2023
The Belgian national postal operator Bpost will eventually replace all its traditional truck trailers with double-deck trailers (DDT). These can carry more letters and parcels during a trip. With such a DDT, 69 postal containers at once can be transported between the hundreds of sorting and distribution centers across Belgium. In an ordinary trailer, only […]
August 18, 2023
In September, Flemish public transport company De Lijn will install bus screens to give drivers a more enclosed steering position. The safety steering position is one of the ten points in the agreed ‘stop aggression’ action plan. Additional inspectors will also be added across Flanders in the coming months. From the end of August, the […]
August 17, 2023
27% fewer cars in the Brussels Pentagon and also 36% more cyclists: these are the striking figures the City of Brussels can present after exactly one year of Good Move, the Regional Mobility and Circulation Plan for the Brussels Capital Region. “Brussels is thus becoming an even nicer place to be,” says a satisfied Bart […]
August 16, 2023
At the end of 2024, 32 instead of 16 intercity trains will run daily between Brussels and the Netherlands. Dutch railway company NS and its Belgian counterpart NMBS/SNCB report this. New, faster trains, with a maximum speed of 200 kph, will be used. They’ll stop less often, making the journey between Brussels and Amsterdam in […]
August 15, 2023
After a young female bus driver was attacked and injured on Wednesday by a woman passenger, unions of the Flemish public transport company De Lijn are planning an awareness-raising action next Thursday, aiming at the thousands of Pukkelpop festivalgoers that are expected. The action was originally scheduled for September but has been brought forward following […]
August 11, 2023
Dutch Railways NS continues to struggle to win back passengers. Passenger numbers are still well below pre-corona levels, making NS loss-making again in the first half of the year. Whether NS will win back passengers in the coming years and sell enough tickets to cover all operation costs remains to be seen. For instance, the […]
August 10, 2023
Belgium has had 19 938 accidents with injuries or fatalities over the past ten years due to failure to observe safe following distances. Two hundred nineteen people were killed in these accidents, and 31 502 others were injured. In Wallonia alone, as many as 4 122 accidents in such circumstances have occurred in ten years, […]
August 09, 2023
Of all flight movements recorded at Deurne Airport, near Antwerp, in 2022, 72% were domestic flights. This is according to figures requested by Groen in the Flemish parliament. The airport itself points to the many pilot training sessions in Deurne as an explanation. Groen denounces the total of 30 000 domestic flight movements in Deurne. […]
August 08, 2023
The American electric carmaker Tesla has replaced Chief Financial Officer Zachary Kirkhorn. The reason for his departure has not been disclosed. But the resignation of Kirkhorn, who was seen as a possible successor to Elon Musk as CEO, does come at a tricky time, so close to the launch of the Cybertruck. Master of Coin […]
August 07, 2023
The listed company D’Ieteren, which is best known for importing and distributing cars of the Volkswagen Group and Carglass, is further expanding its bike chain, Lucien. Having already opened Lucien shops in Brussels, Antwerp, and Ghent, it is now also setting its eyes on Wallonia. It plans to open its first shop in the heart of […]
August 07, 2023
The rate for passing a theory exam for the motorbike (A) and car (B) driving license in the Brussels Capital Region remains below 50%. That is according to figures for 2022 from Brussels Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt (Groen) and published by the SudPresse newspapers. The results are almost identical to the previous year. […]
August 04, 2023
Europe’s leading airline group Lufthansa more than tripled its net profit in the second quarter and expects to post one of the best annual results in its history. Subsidiary Brussels Airlines carried 3,95 million passengers in the first half, making its Q2 a good one, with a profit of 31 million euros. Three years after […]
August 03, 2023
Federal energy regulator CREG rejects a proposed increase in return on equity sought by Belgian high-voltage grid operator Elia. On the sidelines of its half-year results, the grid operator had insisted on this last week. Elia says a higher return on capital is needed to finance its future infrastructure investments. According to the newspaper La […]
August 02, 2023
Last year, 85 844 tons of used tires were collected in Belgium. This is according to the non-profit organization Recytyre, the Belgian organization responsible for collecting and recycling tires. More than 99,8% of tire waste was recovered, mainly in the form of pellets. This percentage exceeds the minimum target of 85% for material recovery. Flanders […]
August 01, 2023
Buyers of used Volkswagens in the Netherlands may also be massively eligible for compensation for the carmaker’s cheating software linked to dieselgate. The Dutch Consumers Association (CA) says this is the first time ever in the Netherlands that a judge has awarded compensation to an individual owner of a used VW car with cheating software. […]
August 01, 2023
Estonian mobility company Bolt wants to make Brussels more inclusive, so under the banner ‘Bolt for All,’ they want to make their e-scooters and e-bikes more accessible to everyone. From now on, all students, job seekers, and people dependent on one of the 19 Brussels Social Services who receive a living wage or its equivalent […]
July 31, 2023
Capitalizing on their customers’ regained travel appetite, Air France-KLM, one of Europe’s largest airline groups, posted an operating profit of 663 million euros in the second quarter. In April-June, total revenue went up nearly 1,8 billion euros to 7,7 billion euros. In 2022, the Franco-Dutch group still signed up for more than 11 billion euros […]
July 31, 2023
Britain’s Mobico, the former public transport company National Express, is talking with other companies to launch an HST connection between London and Paris via the Channel Tunnel. Evolyn, as Eurostar’s competitor would be called, could start in 2025. According to The Financial Times, the newspaper picked up the scoop, the Spanish Cosmen family, a shareholder […]
July 28, 2023
A Brussels Court of First Instance has ordered Volkswagen to pay damages to those affected by the cheating software scandal in which it is embroiled. The German carmaker must reimburse them 5% of the purchase price of their car. Consumer organization Test Aankoop/Test Achat (TA) had filed a class action or group claim for this, […]
July 27, 2023
Elia, the operator of Belgium’s high-voltage grid, wants to introduce higher grid tariffs to finance its 15,9 billion euros planned investments, increasing electricity bills for households and businesses. According to Elia, this tariff increase is essential for the vast infrastructure investments the company faces to tackle the energy transition, which is proceeding much faster than […]
July 26, 2023
In Etterbeek, near the Shuman traffic circle, the first all-electric fuel station on Brussels territory has opened. Shell’s public charging station has both fast chargers (DC) and regular chargers (AC). It is a break in trend for Brussels, as with the announced era of the electric car and the reduced support for fossil energy exploitation […]
July 25, 2023
Irish low-budget airline Ryanair posted profits of 683 million euros in the second quarter, almost quadrupling compared to last year. The profit growth came thanks to passenger growth and more expensive tickets, as costs have also risen for Ryanair. Meanwhile, Belgian Ryanair pilots in Charleroi have announced another strike due to a social dispute over […]
July 24, 2023
Belgian Mobility Minister Georges Gilkinet’s (Ecolo) proposal to ban all air traffic at Brussels Airport at night continues to evoke resistance. Now the industry federation IATA (International Air Transport Association), which represents some 290 airlines comprising 82% of global air traffic, is also coming out with a predictably dismissive response. It argues that Gilkinet’s proposal […]
July 21, 2023
Traveling by train in Europe is, on average, twice as expensive as flying. On some routes, trains are even 30 times more costly than planes. This is according to an analysis by Greenpeace Central and Eastern Europe. The organization argues that European railways are disadvantaged by unfair taxes in favor of airlines, to the detriment […]
July 20, 2023
Estonian mobility company Bolt introduced its new e-scooter, Bolt 6. The plan is to gradually roll out the new model, with better handling and a pimped-up design, in Brussels and the other cities where Bolt operates. According to the company, the new two-wheeled means of transport sets a new standard for safety and sustainability. Two […]
July 19, 2023
Belgian public railway company NMBS/SNCB and French railway company SNCF Voyageurs have plans to set up a new rail link between Brussels and Paris. The plan is to run back and forth between Brussels South and Paris North several times daily, using conventional trains. It is, therefore, not a high-speed connection. The journey should take […]
July 18, 2023
Belgian airline company Brussels Airlines has filed an official complaint with the European Commission against the “illegal state aid” it claims Charleroi Airport receives. The complaint relates to the terminal navigation charge, which the Belgian air traffic controller Skeyes receives per plane taking off at Brussels Airport. Airlines have to pay part of that amount […]
July 17, 2023
Federal Mobility Minister Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo) wants a total ban on night flights from 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. for Zaventem airport. As expected, many political parties, concerned companies, and interest groups reacted sharply and negatively to Gilkinet’s striking proposal to do away with the 16 000-night flights that currently take off from Brussels Airport. […]
July 14, 2023
Shared e-scooters will henceforth be welcome in Brussels only if they do not impede other traffic users. The Brussels government has, therefore, approved the decision that tightens the rules for users and operators of e-scooters and other shared vehicles in the micro-mobility category. The decision will come into force this summer, but the changeover to […]
July 14, 2023
More European cities are fighting against heavy ‘obese cars’ like pickup trucks and sports utility vehicles (SUVs). Paris, among others, is moving ahead with a plan to make overweight cars pay more parking fees. Other cities are also growing exasperated by the impact of SUVs. Amsterdam and Brussels, among others, are examining measures to discourage […]
July 13, 2023
The Port of Brussels terminal will expand from 1,67 hectares to an area of 6 hectares. It has concluded a service concession for the container terminal and the development of a logistics zone with Van Moer Logistics. The agreement is part of the regional strategy to supply the Brussels service economy with goods in a […]
